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Related Concept Videos

Metabolic States of the Body: The Postabsorptive State01:18

Metabolic States of the Body: The Postabsorptive State

The postabsorptive state usually starts about four hours after a meal and lasts until the next meal is eaten. During this time, the digestive system stops absorbing nutrients, and the body uses stored energy reserves to maintain stable blood glucose levels.
Initially, glycogen stored in the liver is broken down to release glucose into the bloodstream, while glycogen in the muscles is broken down to supply glucose for energy directly within the muscle cells. As glycogen stores diminish,...
Production Efficiency01:01

Production Efficiency

Net production efficiency (NPE) is the efficiency at which organisms assimilate energy into biomass for the next trophic level. Due to low metabolic rates and less energy spent on thermoregulatory processes, the NPE of ectotherms (cold-blooded animals) is 10 times higher than endotherms (warm-blooded animals).
Metabolic States of the Body: The Absorptive State01:25

Metabolic States of the Body: The Absorptive State

During the absorptive state, which lasts approximately four hours after a meal, the body absorbs nutrients from the gastrointestinal tract. The carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids we consume are broken down into monosaccharides, amino acids, and free fatty acids for absorption. While carbohydrates and proteins are absorbed as-is, lipids are absorbed in their broken-down forms and then re-esterified into triglycerides within enterocytes before being packaged into chylomicrons. These absorbed...
Metabolic States of the Body: Fasting and Starvation01:24

Metabolic States of the Body: Fasting and Starvation

During the initial hours of fasting, the body uses up its glycogen stores as an energy source. Once these glycogen reserves are depleted, the body begins breaking down stored triglycerides and structural proteins. During this stage, glycerol becomes a key substrate for gluconeogenesis, while free fatty acids undergo beta-oxidation to provide energy for tissues, such as skeletal muscle. In the fasting state, the body spares protein breakdown as much as possible to conserve muscle and structural...
Glucose Homeostasis: Regulation of Blood Glucose01:02

Glucose Homeostasis: Regulation of Blood Glucose

Carbohydrates consumed through foods are converted into glucose, a crucial energy source for the body. In the prandial state, high blood glucose levels stimulate the secretion of insulin from the pancreas. Insulin inhibits hepatic glucose production and stimulates glucose uptake and metabolism by muscle and adipose tissue. The excess glucose is converted into glycogen and stored in the liver and muscles.
During fasting, when blood glucose levels are low, the pancreas secretes glucagon. it...
Sugars as Energy Storage Molecules01:10

Sugars as Energy Storage Molecules

Sugar (a simple carbohydrate) metabolism (chemical reactions) is a classic example of the many cellular processes that use and produce energy. Living things consume sugar as a major energy source because sugar molecules have considerable energy stored within their bonds. Consumed carbohydrates have their origins in photosynthesizing organisms like plants. During photosynthesis, plants use the energy of sunlight to convert carbon dioxide gas into sugar molecules, like glucose. Because this...

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Characterization of Metabolic Status in Nonhuman Primates with the Intravenous Glucose Tolerance Test
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Fuel switching and energy partitioning during the postprandial metabolic response in the ball python (Python regius).

Stefan Waas1, Roland A Werner, J Matthias Starck

  • 1Department of Biology-Zoology, University of Munich, Grosshadernerstrasse 2, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany.

The Journal of Experimental Biology
|March 30, 2010
PubMed
Summary

Snakes utilize prey energy during digestion, a process called specific dynamic action (SDA). This study tracked energy sources, finding exogenous (prey) energy contributed significantly to SDA in fasting snakes.

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Area of Science:

  • Physiology
  • Animal Metabolism
  • Ecology

Background:

  • Digestion requires energy, with specific dynamic action (SDA) being energetically costly for snakes with long fasting periods.
  • Understanding energy partitioning during postfeeding is crucial for metabolic studies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To quantify the contribution of exogenous (prey) and endogenous (self) energy sources during SDA in sit-and-wait foraging snakes.
  • To investigate fuel switching and resource partitioning during the postprandial period.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized (13)C-labeled prey to trace energy sources.
  • Applied a linear mixing model to determine the proportion of (13)C from endogenous and exogenous sources.
  • Monitored snakes' postprandial response over 20 hours.

Main Results:

  • Snakes exhibited a typical postprandial response with a shift from endogenous to exogenous fuel sources by 4 hours postfeeding.
  • Exogenous fuel contribution increased to 75% by 20 hours after feeding.
  • Exogenous energy accounted for approximately 60% of SDA, equating to 4.5% of the meal's energy.

Conclusions:

  • Sit-and-wait foraging snakes rely significantly on exogenous energy to fuel the energetic costs of digestion (SDA).
  • The study quantifies the metabolic strategy employed by these snakes to manage energy during fasting and feeding cycles.