Shor-termcontrolofglucokinase activity roleofa reulatory….pdfVIP

REVIEWS Shor -term control of glucokinase activity: role of a : re ulatory protein . MILE VAN SCHAFTINGEN,’ MICHEL DETHEUX, AND MARIA VEIGA DA CUNHA aboratoire de Chisnie Physiologique International Institute of Cellular and Molecular Pathgogy and UuveEsit#{233} : atholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium . . ABSTRACT Glucokinase is one of the four hexokinases The liver plays an important role in the glucose homeosta- present in mammalian tissues. It is expressed in two cell sis. It is able to take up this hexose after a meal and store it types that have to respond to changes in the blood glucose as glycogen or convert it to lactate and fat. During a fast, the concentration, the liver parenchymal cell and the /3-cells liver produces glucose at the expense of glycogen and of vari- of pancreatic islets. The former are responsible for the ous compounds (lactate, amino acids, glycerol) known as metabolism and storage of an important part of the in- gluconeogenic precursors. These processes are controlled by gested glucose, whereas the latter