Question

In normal cells, glucose is broken down aerobically and fed into the citric acid cycle to produce, among other things, lots of ATP. Cancer cells, however do not. They instead break down glucose into lactic acid. This is very odd due to the fact that cancer cells are constantly growing and have typical glycolytic rates 200 times that of a normal cell. This even occurs under oxygen rich conditions.

Required:
Write a response to the following prompt.
Why might cancer cells produce ATP this way? Please provide background and cite any sources you may have used?

Answer 1

Explanation:

Its was discovered back in the 1920s, by Dr. Ralph DeBerardinis and Dr. Joshua Rabinowitz that cancer cells prefer not to rely on the citric acid cycle like healthy cells do. Instead, they turn most of their pyruvate (SALT) into lactate, which then releases. Because cancer cells consume so much glucose, they end up producing a lot of lactate.

The Circle of Lactate: How cancer cells can reuse their own waste

by Lara Roach

Feb 13, 2018