Glucose Synthesis in Tritiated Water

Abstract

Isolated rat or hamster liver parenchymal cells or kidney cortex segments were incubated in a medium containing 3 HHO and the incorporation and partial distribution of tritium in the glucose formed was determined. Gluconeogenesis from lactate or pyruvate caused about 80 to 90% of the possible amount (7 μatoms per glucose molecule) of fixation of tritium from 3 HHO in glucose, with a high percentage labelling on C‐6. Glucose formation from glycogen breakdown under anaerobiosis caused less than 20% of the possible fixation of tritium, with most of the labelling on C‐2. This technique may be of eventual use in determining rates and sources of glucose formation.