Gluconeogenesis

Definition: the process of forming glucose from non-carbohydrate intermediates.

Why is Gluconeogenesis important?
Gluconeogenesis is important because we can only store a limited amount of glucose inside our bodies. If we do
not make glucose, we will probably only survive 1 day and a half. I say this because our cells would not be able to
continue work nor function without glucose. Our brain uses 75% of glucose needed, this does not include
athletes, they would need more. Therefore, gluconeogenesis is important because it gives our body the ability to
use non-sugar molecules to create glucose.
Molecules used to synthesize gluconeogenesis are lactate, glycerol, pyruvate, and amino acids except fatty acids.
Lactate: during vigorous exercise we need ATP; therefore, muscle makes lactic acid and makes its way to the
liver. In the liver, lactic acid is converted to pyruvate via lactate dehydrogenase that way gluconeogenesis can
begin its process.
Glycerol: components of triglycerides in Adipose tissue begin to break down to form fatty acids and glycerol
molecules. Fatty acids cannot be used to form glucose molecules but glycerol can. Glycerol then travels to liver
cells and undergo a 2-step process.
Glycerol-->Glycerol phosphate-->DHAP--> begins the conversion of Glucose
Pyruvate: comes from the breakdown of glucose in glycolysis.
Amino Acids: in food products and under starvation we can break down existing proteins found in muscle and
use them to form glucose.
Some Amino Acids-->Pyruvate-->Gluconeogenesis-->Glucose
OR
Some Amino Acids-->DHAP-->Gluconeogenesis-->Glucose

3 Irreversible Steps of Glycolysis: Steps 1,3,&9
1.

Glucose -> G-6-P; enzyme = glucokinase or hexokinase

3. Fructose -6-P -> Fructose-1,6-bisphosphate; enzyme = phosphofructokinase

9. Phosphoenolpyruvate -> pyruvate; enzyme = pyruvate kinase
*The irreversible steps of glycolysis are all of the reactions in which a phosphate group is added to the molecule
from an ATP.

3 Irreversible Steps of Glycolysis Replacement Reactions

The enzymes used to bypass the irreversible steps of glycolysis are only found in the liver, and this is why
gluconeogenesis can only take place in the liver.
1.

G-6-P -> Glucose; enzyme = glucose- 6- phosphatase

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occurs in the cytosol
-
requires a phosphatase enzyme (removes a phosphate)

3. Fructose-1,6-bisphosphate -> Fructose-6-Phosphate; enzyme = Fructose-1,6-bisP

-
-

occurs in the cytosol

requires a phosphatase enzyme (removes a phosphate)

9. Pyruvate -> oxaloacetate -> malate -> oxaloacetate -> Phosphoenolpyruvate

-

reaction is driven forward when in the presence of pyruvate carboxylase occurs in the
mitochondria

The Cori Cycle

-
-
-
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the conversion of lactate back to glucose

takes place under anaerobic conditions
only occurs in the liver because muscle lacks glucose-6-phosphatase (cannot bypass hexokinase)
energy expensive, investment of 6 ATP

Quiz
1. True or False. Gluconeogenesis is the synthesis of glucose from noncarbohydrate
precursors like lactate, pyruvate, glycerol, and amino acids along with fatty acids.
2. How and where does lactate convert to glucose?
3. What is the primary enzyme involved in the process of bypassing pyruvate kinase?
4. True or False. We can live without gluconeogenesis.
5. Why is gluconeogenesis in the liver?
6. What are the enzyme use in gluconeogenesis to bypass?
7. Which bypass enzymes are involved in specific phosphatase?
8. Which bypass enzyme are involves the formation of OA via pyruvate carboxylase to
form PEP.
9. Does liver or muscle lack glucose-6-phosphatase in the Cori Cycle?
10. True or False. During the Cori Cycle lactate leaves the muscle cell, enters circulation, and
its taken up by the liver.
11. True or False. Gluconeogenesis is the production of glucose from non-carbohydrate
intermediates
12. True or False. In gluconeogenesis theres 4 irreversible steps.