Skip to content
MS
PW-055 Carbohydrate Metabolism Inter-organ cycle unreviewed

Cori Cycle (lactate shuttle)

Muscle/RBC glucose -> lactate Hepatic glucose (net cost 4 ATP equivalents)
Compartment
Cytosol (muscle) + liver
Main tissue
Muscle/RBC <-> liver
Rate-limiting
Not flagged in the source
Steps
2

Reaction steps

In source order, 2 total

showing 1–2
  1. 1

    Glucose -> 2 lactate + 2 ATP (muscle/erythrocyte)

    Notes

    Anaerobic ATP supply; regenerates cytosolic NAD+ so glycolysis can continue.

  2. 2

    Lactate -> pyruvate -> glucose (liver, 6 ATP equivalents)

    In Lactate
    Out Pyruvate
    Notes

    Net cost of 4 ATP equivalents per cycle, shifting the energy burden to liver. Metformin-associated and hypoxic lactic acidosis reflect failure of this arm.

Showing all 2 steps.

Recent literature

Live Europe PMC search

Nothing is fetched until you ask, so the page stays fast and the request is yours rather than automatic.

Europe PMC · ten most recent, newest first