Hydroxypyruvate as a gluconeogenic substrate in rat hepatocytes

At concentrations of 2mM and above hydroxypyruvate produced no glucose with isolated rat liver cells, although it was rapidly utilized. At a lower concentration of hydroxypyruvate or in the presence of substrates which generate reducing equivalents (ethanol or butyrate), appreciable amounts of glucose were formed from hydroxypyruvate. A possible explanation for this phenomenon is discussed.