Differential effects of starvation on alanine and glutamine transport in isolated rat hepatocytes

Abstract

At physiological concentrations, alanine transport in hepatocytes from starved rats is faster than in hepatocytes from fed rats. The degree of increase is much less than previously reported for 2-aminoisobutyrate in the same concentration range. Glutamine transport is not stimulated on starvation. This provides evidence that the transport systems for alanine and glutamine in isolated hepatocytes are controlled separately.