Premium
Direct measurement of oxidative metabolism in the living brain by microdialysis: a review
Author(s) -
Ronald Zielke H.,
Zielke Carol L.,
Baab Peter J.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
journal of neurochemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.75
H-Index - 229
eISSN - 1471-4159
pISSN - 0022-3042
DOI - 10.1111/j.1471-4159.2009.05941.x
Subject(s) - microdialysis , aconitase , metabolism , glutamate receptor , glutamine , oxidative phosphorylation , biochemistry , carbohydrate metabolism , energy metabolism , interstitial fluid , glucose uptake , chemistry , biology , mitochondrion , extracellular , endocrinology , amino acid , insulin , receptor
This review summarizes microdialysis studies that address the question of which compounds serve as energy sources in the brain. Microdialysis was used to introduce 14 C‐labeled glucose, lactate, pyruvate, glutamate, glutamine, and acetate into the interstitial fluid of the brain to observe their metabolism to 14 CO 2 . Although glucose uptake from the systemic system supplies the carbon source for these compounds, compounds synthesized from glucose by the brain are subject to recycling including complete metabolism to CO 2 . Therefore, the brain utilizes multiple compounds in its domain to provide the energy needed to fulfill its function. The physiological conditions controlling metabolism and the contribution of compartmentation into different brain regions, cell types, and subcellular spaces are still unresolved. The aconitase inhibitor fluorocitrate, with a lower inhibition threshold in glial cells, was used to identify the proportion of lactate and glucose that was oxidized in glial cells versus neurons. The fluorocitrate data suggest that glial and neuronal cells are capable of utilizing both lactate and glucose for energy metabolism.