Ketone Bodies

Ketone bodies are produced in the liver and utilized by extrahepatic tissue. Excess production occurs primarily due to unavailability of carbohydrates to the tissues. Ketone bodies are three in number:

·        Acetoacetate

·        β-hydroxybutyrate

·        Acetone

Fate of ketone bodies:

·        Utilized as energy substrates by the extrahepatic tissues

·        Excreted in urine

·        Expired out in breath

Utilization of ketine bodies:

·        Ketone bodies are needed to provide energy to the peripheral tissues during starvation.

·        Brain can use ketone bodies as fuel

·        Liver cannot itself use ketone bodies as fuel because it cannot reconvert acetoacetate to acetoacetyl CoA due to lacking of enzyme succinyl CoA: acetoacetyl CoA transferase.

Erythrocytes cannot utilizes ketone bodies due to absence of mitochondria.