RATE OF UTILIZATION OF GLUCOSE AND ‘COMPARTMENTATION’ OF α-OXOGLUTARATE AND GLUTAMATE IN RAT BRAIN

The rate of incorporation of (14)C into pyruvate, alpha-oxoglutarate, lactate and glucose of rat tissues was measured after the subcutaneous injection of uniformly labelled glucose. 2. In rat brain the specific radioactivities of lactate and glucose were similar to that of alanine. In liver the specific radioactivity of glucose was considerably higher than that of lactate or alanine. 3. The specific radioactivities of alpha-oxo acids of rat brain were lower than those of corresponding amino acids, alanine and glutamate. These findings have been explained in relation to metabolic compartments in vivo. 4. The approximate estimated rate of glucose utilization in rat brain in vivo is 0.96mumole/g. of brain/min.