Glucose serves as the primary energy source for the body's cells, powering essential functions through breakdown into ATP.
Energy Production
Cells throughout the body use glucose for fuel, with insulin facilitating its entry into cells for immediate energy needs or storage as glycogen. The brain relies heavily on glucose for thinking, memory, and neurotransmitter production, consuming about 20% of the body's glucose-derived energy despite being only 2% of body weight.
Organ-Specific Roles
- Liver processes and distributes glucose, stores it as glycogen, or converts it for other uses like energy or protein glycosylation.
- Muscles break down glucose during exercise for contraction.
- Kidneys use it for filtration and waste removal via gluconeogenesis.
- Other organs like lungs, eyes, and intestines employ glucose for tasks such as airway maintenance, vision, and cell regeneration.
Additional Functions
Glucose acts as a precursor for biomolecules like lipids, vitamin C, cellulose in plants, and amino acids for proteins. In plants, it supports respiration, starch storage, and structural components like cell walls.
