Specificity and Kinetic Properties of Monosaccharide Uptake Into Guinea Pig Cerebral Cortex in Vitro

Abstract— The uptake into the non‐raffinose space of cerebral cortex slices of a number of 14 C‐labelled glucose analogues has been studied. Evidence on competition with glucose for the transport process has been used to derive information on the substrate specificity of sugar uptake to the brain. The kinetic properties of the uptake of 2‐deoxygIucose indicate that the transport is a facilitated process rather than diffusion. Classical competition between glucose and 2‐deoxyglucose for transport is shown and arguments are advanced for regarding glucose as a competitive inhibitor of 2‐deoxyglucose transport. The apparent K m for deoxyglucose is 10 mM and for glucose is suggested to be of the order of 5 m m , The value of such a kinetic approach to sugar transport in various conditions is discussed.