Define Metabolic utilization of carbohydrates?
Following absorption, the monosaccharides enter the portal circulation and are carried to the liver. Both galactose and fructose are converted to glucose in the hepatocytes. A part of glucose is converted into glycogen while some is catabolised for energy in the liver. The remainder of glucose passes on into the systemic blood supply and is distributed among other tissues such as skeletal muscle, adipose tissue and kidney. Nearly all the cells in the body admit glucose passively by a carrier-mediated transport mechanism that does not require energy. The protein carriers involved in the process are called glucose transporters and are abbreviated GLUT.