karnitiinshuttle
Karnitiinshuttle, also known as the carnitine shuttle or fatty acid shuttle, is a biological transport system crucial for cellular energy metabolism. It facilitates the movement of long-chain fatty acids from the cytoplasm into the mitochondria. This process is essential because the enzymes responsible for beta-oxidation, the breakdown of fatty acids for energy, are located within the mitochondrial matrix. Long-chain fatty acids, due to their hydrophobic nature and the impermeability of the inner mitochondrial membrane to them, require a specific mechanism to cross this barrier.
The carnitine shuttle involves a series of enzymes and transporters. Carnitine palmitoyltransferase I (CPT1), located on
This shuttle system is highly regulated and plays a significant role in cellular energy homeostasis, particularly