Hepatic carbohydrate metabolism

The term "Hepatic carbohydrate metabolism" refers to a broad set of metabolic pathways and processes in the liver that involve the uptake, storage, synthesis, and breakdown of carbohydrates, primarily glucose[1][2][3]. This is not a single molecule or receptor, but rather an integrated physiological function encompassing several key pathways: glycolysis (breakdown of glucose for ATP production), glycogenesis (synthesis of glycogen from glucose for storage), glycogenolysis (breakdown of glycogen back into glucose), gluconeogenesis (synthesis of glucose from non-carbohydrate substrates), the pentose phosphate pathway (for NADPH and ribose production), and lipogenesis (synthesis of fatty acids from excess glucose)[1][2][3]. Key components in these pathways include enzymes such as glucokinase (hexokinase IV, GCK), glucose-6-phosphatase (G6Pase), glycogen synthase, phosphorylase, and pyruvate kinase (L-PK), as well as transporters like GLUT2; transcription factors such as CREB, FOXO1, C/EBPα/β, and ChREBP; and regulatory proteins such as glucokinase regulatory protein (GKRP)[1][2][3]. Each of these molecules can itself be a therapeutic target, but "hepatic carbohydrate metabolism" itself is not a specific target.