Lactate as a regulator of iron homeostasis

The liver, an essential organ in the human body, performs over 200 vital functions that can be broadly categorized into metabolic, hematological, endocrine regulation, and bile production.
Metabolic Regulation:
The liver is the central organ involved in regulating blood composition. It stabilizes blood glucose levels, maintaining them within the range of  70–110 mg/dL. When these levels drop, the liver breaks down glycogen reserves and releases glucose into the bloodstream. It can...

Essential proteins such as insulin or low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and micronutrients such as iron enter a eukaryotic cell through receptor-mediated endocytosis. Subsequently, the early endosomes fuse with the vesicles containing such receptor-ligand complexes and play a vital role in sorting the incoming ligands and receptors. While the ligands are either degraded inside the vesicle or released into the cytosol, their receptors are returned to the plasma membrane for further rounds of...

pH plays a critical role in maintaining normal cellular activities. It helps maintain the structure and function of various proteins, dictates the charge on cellular membranes, and is crucial for metabolic reactions inside the cell. Moreover, cells use the energy from the proton motive force to generate ATP.
Cytosolic pH
Under physiological conditions, the cytosolic pH is slightly more acidic than the extracellular pH. However, cells must prevent further acidification of their cytosol to...

Acid-base homeostasis is essential for maintaining normal physiological activities in humans. The pH of various body fluids is strictly regulated because it is critical for the optimal activity of enzymes involved in metabolic reactions. Enzymes are basically proteins, so, any significant change in pH can affect their structure and activity. In humans, pH is regulated using three primary mechanisms— chemical buffer systems, respiratory regulation, and renal regulation.
Respiratory...

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...

Respiratory compensation is a vital physiological process that stabilizes blood plasma pH by regulating the partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PCO2), a key determinant of pH levels. Most carbon dioxide in the blood dissolves and converts into carbonic acid (H2CO3). It dissociates into hydrogen ions (H+) and bicarbonate ions (HCO3⁻). There is also an inverse relationship between PCO2​​ and pH.
When carbon dioxide levels increase in the blood, more H+ and HCO3⁻ are...