BASIC METABOLIC

PATHWAYS
METABOLISM
 Term used to describe the interconversion
of chemical compounds in the body
 It includes;
– Pathways taken by the individual molecules
– Their interrelationships
– Mechanisms that regulate the flow of
metabolites through the pathways
Categories of metabolic
pathways
(1) ANABOLIC PATHWAYS
 Involved in the synthesis of larger
and more complex compounds from
smaller precursors
 Eg., synthesis of proteins from amino
acids; synthesis of reserves of
triacylglycerol and glycogen
 Endothermic
Categories of metabolic
pathways
(2) CATABOLIC PATHWAYS
 Involved in the breakdown of larger
molecules
 Commonly involving oxidative
reactions
 Exothermic
 Producing reducing equivalents
 Mainly via the respiratory chain, ATP
Categories of metabolic
pathways
(3) AMPHIBOLIC PATHWAYS
 “cross roads” of metabolism

 Acting as links between the anabolic

and catabolic pathways
 Example is the citric acid cycle
 1

2 Source of reducing
equivalents (NADPH)

anaerobic
aerobic

4 GLUCONEOGENESIS-
is the process of
forming glucose from
non-carbohydrate
precursors (e.g,
lactate, amino acids,
and glycerol)
 Body’s main
fuel reserve

Source of
fatty acid
2

1
Acetoacetate and 3-
hydroxybutyrate – important
fuels in prolonged fasting
 Essential/nonessential
amino acids

Gluconeogenesis

3
2

1
THE LIVER
Glycogenesis
Glycogenolysis
Gluconeogenesis

Only fuel
  

Transported to
extrahepatic tissues
(acting as a fuel in
prolonged fasting
Lipogenesis

Main fuel
reserve in
the body
hydrolysis

Largest plasma
lipoproteins
Alteration of
membrane
permeability
GLUCONEOGENESIS
 Lactate and pyruvate are the substrates
which are formed in the cytosol and enter
the mitochondrion to yield oxaloacetate
(precursor)
 GLUCOGENIC – amino acids that yield
pyruvate and 4- and 5- C intermediates of
the TCA cycle
 KETOGENIC – amino acids that give rise to
acetyl-CoA
INSULIN
 Secreted by the -islet cells in response to
increased blood glucose concentration (fed state)
 Controls glucose uptake into the muscle and
adipose tissue
 GLUT-4 migrate to the cell surface in response to
insulin
 Acts to stimulate glycogen synthase and inhibit
glycogen phosphorylase (liver and skeletal muscles)
 In adipose tissue, it stimulates glucose uptake, its
conversion to FA and their esterification to TG
 Glucose uptake in the liver is insulin independent
GLUCAGON

 Secreted by the -cells in response to

the fall in blood glucose concentration
 Inhibits glycogen synthase and
activates glycogen phosphorylase
 In adipose tissue, increase in glucagon
results to inhibition of lipogenesis
CLINICAL ASPECTS
 Death occurs when essential tissue protein
are catabolized and not replaced (due to
prolonged starvation)
 KETOSIS results due to high demand for
glucose by the fetus, and lactose synthesis
in lactation
 TYPE 1 DIABETES MELLITUS – due to lack
of insulin or absence of insulin to stimulate
glucose uptake and utilization