Understanding Glycogen Mobilization

What does the term ‘glycogen mobilisation’ mean?

Glycogen mobilization refers to the process of breaking down glycogen, which is a stored form of glucose in the body, into glucose molecules. Glycogen serves as a readily available energy source that can be quickly mobilized during times of increased energy demand, such as physical activity or periods of fasting.

This process mostly occurs in the liver and skeletal muscles. When the body requires more glucose for energy, signals from hormones like glucagon and adrenaline initiate glycogen mobilization. In response to these signals, glycogen phosphorylase, an enzyme, is activated. This enzyme cleaves glucose molecules from the glycogen polymer, releasing them into the bloodstream as glucose-1-phosphate.

In the liver, this glucose-1-phosphate is converted into glucose-6-phosphate, which then undergoes further processing, ultimately being released into the bloodstream as free glucose. The glucose can then be transported to various cells in the body to provide energy.

In skeletal muscle cells, glycogen is mainly used to supply glucose for energy within the muscles themselves. Muscle cells lack the enzyme glucose-6-phosphatase, which is needed for the release of glucose from glucose-6-phosphate. Therefore, glucose-6-phosphate derived from glycogen breakdown in muscles is used directly for energy production within the muscle cells.

Overall, glycogen mobilization is a crucial process that ensures the availability of glucose and provides a rapid energy source within the body when needed.

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