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Updated: Jul 6, 2026

Mapping Metabolism: Monitoring Lactate Dehydrogenase Activity Directly in Tissue
06:18

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Published on: June 21, 2018

A lactatic perspective on metabolism.

L Bruce Gladden1

  • 1Department of Kinesiology, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849-5323, USA. gladdlb@auburn.edu

Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise
|April 2, 2008
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

The cell-to-cell lactate shuttle facilitates lactate transport and utilization across tissues, with skeletal muscle as a key player. This shuttle system highlights lactate

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Published on: August 6, 2018

Area of Science:

  • Metabolic biochemistry
  • Cellular physiology
  • Exercise physiology

Background:

  • The cell-to-cell lactate shuttle, proposed in 1984, describes the movement and utilization of lactate between cells.
  • Skeletal muscle is a major site for both lactate production and consumption due to its significant mass and metabolic activity.
  • Lactate serves as an oxidative fuel source for various tissues, including cardiac muscle and the brain, especially during elevated concentrations.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review and synthesize current evidence on the cell-to-cell and intracellular lactate shuttle.
  • To discuss the role of lactate as a metabolic fuel and gluconeogenic substrate.
  • To examine the controversial aspects of lactate metabolism, including its intracellular handling and role in acid-base balance.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review and synthesis of experimental findings.
  • Analysis of studies investigating lactate production, consumption, and transport.
  • Examination of evidence regarding intracellular lactate metabolism and acid-base balance.

Main Results:

  • Skeletal muscle avidly consumes lactate as an oxidative fuel during steady-state exercise.
  • Lactate is a significant gluconeogenic substrate for the liver, with uptake increasing at higher blood lactate levels.
  • An intracellular lactate shuttle is proposed, with lactate potentially converted to pyruvate near mitochondria, not within the matrix.

Conclusions:

  • The cell-to-cell lactate shuttle is well-supported, with extensive tissue involvement including skeletal muscle, heart, liver, and brain.
  • Current evidence suggests lactate is a key intermediate in cellular metabolism, with ongoing debate regarding its precise intracellular fate and role in acid-base homeostasis.
  • While controversies exist, the term "lactic acidosis" remains in use due to insufficient evidence to discard it.