Exergetic efficiency of ATP production in neuronal glucose metabolism
by Seda Genc; Esra Sorguven; Isıl Aksan Kurnaz; Mustafa Ozilgen
International Journal of Exergy (IJEX), Vol. 13, No. 1, 2013

Abstract: The exergetic efficiency of ATP production in the brain is assessed using two competing models: 1) the classical model, where both neuron and the astrocyte metabolise glucose; 2) the astrocyte-neuron lactate shuttle hypothesis (ANLSH), where astrocytes metabolise glucose to lactate, then shuttle it to the neuron for aerobic respiration. Exergy analyses showed that ATP production in neuronal mitochondrion is thermodynamically much more efficient than in the cytoplasm. Comparing the Cumulative Degree of Perfection (CDP) for pyruvate production under both models showed that pyruvate production in the cytoplasm causes less exergy loss when lactate is the energy source. Therefore, we predict that the lactate shuttle model is energetically more favourable to the neuron.

Online publication date: Thu, 08-Aug-2013

The full text of this article is only available to individual subscribers or to users at subscribing institutions.

 
Existing subscribers:
Go to Inderscience Online Journals to access the Full Text of this article.

Pay per view:
If you are not a subscriber and you just want to read the full contents of this article, buy online access here.

Complimentary Subscribers, Editors or Members of the Editorial Board of the International Journal of Exergy (IJEX):
Login with your Inderscience username and password:

Username:        Password:          Forgotten your password?

Want to subscribe?
A subscription gives you complete access to all articles in the current issue, as well as to all articles in the previous three years (where applicable). See our Orders page to subscribe.

If you still need assistance, please email subs@inderscience.com