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Updated: May 31, 2026
10:23
Glutamine Flux Imaging Using Genetically Encoded Sensors
Published on: July 31, 2014
Glutamine metabolism: Role in acid-base balance*
Lynn Taylor1, Norman P Curthoys
1Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1870.
Summary
Glutamine metabolism shifts during acidosis, with kidneys playing a key role in acid-base balance by processing glutamine to excrete excess acid. This involves coordinated changes in multiple organs.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Physiology
- Metabolic Regulation
Background:
- Glutamine is a crucial amino acid involved in various metabolic pathways.
- Interorgan communication is vital for maintaining physiological homeostasis.
- Acid-base balance is tightly regulated by complex physiological mechanisms.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide a comprehensive overview of glutamine's interorgan metabolism.
- To elucidate the specific role of glutamine in maintaining acid-base balance.
- To highlight the adaptive changes in glutamine metabolism during metabolic acidosis.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of human and animal studies on glutamine metabolism.
- Analysis of data on glutamine synthesis, utilization, and transport.
- Examination of gene expression and enzyme activity changes during acidosis.
Main Results:
- Muscle, adipose tissue, and lungs are primary sites of glutamine synthesis and release.
- Liver and small intestine are major glutamine utilization sites in normal conditions.
- Kidneys become the primary site of glutamine catabolism during metabolic acidosis, aiding acid excretion and bicarbonate reabsorption.
Conclusions:
- Glutamine metabolism undergoes significant interorgan redistribution during acidosis.
- Kidney adaptation, including increased gene expression for transport and metabolism, sustains acid-base balance.
- Understanding these adaptations is key to managing metabolic acidosis.
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