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Updated: Mar 29, 2026

Glucose Uptake Measurement and Response to Insulin Stimulation in In Vitro Cultured Human Primary Myotubes
Published on: June 25, 2017
Measurement of Glucose Uptake in Cultured Cells
Norio Yamamoto1, Manabu Ueda-Wakagi2, Takuya Sato1
1Research & Development Institute, House Wellness Foods Corporation, Hyogo, Japan.
Abstract:
Facilitative glucose uptake transport systems are ubiquitous in animal cells and are responsible for transporting glucose across cell surface membranes. Evaluation of glucose uptake is crucial in the study of numerous diseases and metabolic disorders such as myocardial ischemia, diabetes mellitus, and cancer. Detailed in this unit are laboratory methods for assessing glucose uptake into mammalian cells. The unit is divided into five sections: (1) a brief overview of glucose uptake assays in cultured cells; (2) a method for measuring glucose uptake using radiolabeled 3-O-methylglucose; (3) a method for measuring glucose uptake using radiolabeled 2-deoxyglucose (2DG); (4) a microplate method for measuring 2DG-uptake using an enzymatic, fluorometric assay; and (5) a microplate-based method using a fluorescent analog of 2DG.

