Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 21, 2026

Measurement of Insulin- and Contraction-Stimulated Glucose Uptake in Isolated and Incubated Mature Skeletal Muscle from Mice
Published on: May 16, 2021
Skeletal muscle lactate overproduction during metformin intoxication: An animal study with reverse microdialysis
Alessandro Protti1, Paolo Properzi1, Sandra Magnoni1
1Dipartimento di Anestesia, Rianimazione ed Emergenza-Urgenza, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda - Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy.
Abstract:
Lactic acidosis during metformin intoxication is classically mainly attributed to diminished lactate clearance through liver gluconeogenesis. Here we studied 6 healthy, sedated and mechanically ventilated pigs to clarify whether high dose of metformin also increases skeletal muscle lactate production. Each animal had two microdialysis catheters inserted in gluteus muscles, one per side. One catheter was infused with saline (control) while the other one was infused with metformin diluted in saline (1M), both at a rate of 0.3μl/min. Dialysate lactate concentration and lactate-to-pyruvate ratio, a marker of the balance between anaerobic glycolysis and aerobic (mitochondrial) metabolism, were measured every 3h, for 12h. Continuous infusion of metformin caused a progressive rise in dialysate lactate level (p=0.007) and lactate-to-pyruvate ratio (p<0.001) compared to that of saline, as for mitochondrial "poisoning". These findings suggest that skeletal muscle lactate overproduction contributes to the development of metformin-induced lactic acidosis.
More Related Videos
08:03Glucose Uptake Measurement and Response to Insulin Stimulation in In Vitro Cultured Human Primary Myotubes
Published on: June 25, 2017
09:40Phosphorus-31 Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy: A Tool for Measuring In Vivo Mitochondrial Oxidative Phosphorylation Capacity in Human Skeletal Muscle
Published on: January 19, 2017
Related Concept Videos
Muscle Recovery and Fatigue
Metabolic States of the Body: Fasting and Starvation
Metabolic States of the Body: The Postabsorptive State
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,...
Oral Hypoglycemic Agents: Biguanides and Glitazones
Overview of Carbohydrate Metabolism
Glucose transport into cells is facilitated by a family of transport proteins called GLUT (Glucose Transporters). GLUT4 is the primary glucose transporter for insulin-stimulated glucose...
Hypoglycemia and Glucagon