Skip to main content
Log in

Glucose, Glutamate and Succinate Oxidation in Brain

  • Letter
  • Published:

From Nature

View current issue Submit your manuscript

Abstract

THERE have, for some time, been difficulties in interpreting the role of glutamate in brain metabolism and its relation to glucose oxidation1–4. Weil-Malherbe2 has adduced evidence to show that, in brain, summation of oxidations occurs if glucose and glutamate are used together as substrate. Krebs and Eggleston5 have shown that the diffusion of potassium from brain cells in vitro is only fully prevented if both glucose and glutamate are present in the medium. On the other hand, Furchgott and Shorr6 have found that at low oxygen tensions the addition of succinate to brain depresses the normal metabolic activities of the tissue, despite the fact that an increase in oxygen uptake occurs. Our investigations have given rise to certain considerations which seem relevant to this problem.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Krebs, H. A., Biochem. J., 29, 1951 (1935).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Weil-Malherbe, H., Biochem. J., 30, 665 (1936).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Tschirigi, R. D., Gerard, R. W., Jenerick, H., Boyarsky, L., and Heron, J. Z., Fed. Proc., 8, 166 (1949).

    Google Scholar 

  4. Weil-Malherbe, H., Physiol. Rev., 30, 549 (1950).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Krebs, H. A., and Eggleston, L. V., Biochem. J., 44, vii (1949).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Furchgott, R F., and Shorr, E., J. Biol. Chem., 175, 201 (1948).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Lipsett, M. N., and Crescitelli, F., Arch. Biochem., 28, 329 (1950).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

HARRIS, H., TRAUTNER, E. & MESSER, M. Glucose, Glutamate and Succinate Oxidation in Brain. Nature 168, 914–915 (1951). https://doi.org/10.1038/168914a0

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/168914a0

  • Springer Nature Limited

This article is cited by

Navigation