Ketone BodiesAre Fat-Derived, Water- Soluble Metabolites That Serve as Glucose Substitutes
Although glucose cannot be formed from fat, the fat-derived ketone bodies do have some glucoselike attributes. For example, ketone bodies can pass the blood-brain barrier, and during prolonged periods of dietary energy deprivation, they can provide a large portion of the energy supply to the CNS, at least in some species.
It does appear, however, that ketone bodies cannot totally replace glucose in this function, and that a small amount of glucose is always needed by the CNS.In monogastric species, ketone bodies are formed exclusively in the liver and are used by a wide variety of tissues. Some tissues, including cardiac muscle, use ketone bodies instead of glucose. In ruminants the ketone body β-hydroxybutyrate is formed from butyrate in the rumen epithelium. Thus, in
More on the topic Ketone BodiesAre Fat-Derived, Water- Soluble Metabolites That Serve as Glucose Substitutes:
-
Veterinarian -