Lactate ion

Lactate ion is the conjugate base of lactic acid (systematic name: 2-hydroxypropanoate) formed via deprotonation of the carboxyl group[3][1]. It is a small molecule anion (C3H5O3^-) produced endogenously during anaerobic glycolysis and plays key roles in energy metabolism, shuttling between tissues, and serving as a metabolic substrate for gluconeogenesis and mitochondrial respiration[4]. Lactate also acts as a signaling molecule, influencing gene expression, immune regulation, and cellular adaptation to stress[2][4]. Cellular uptake and export of lactate involve monocarboxylate transporters (e.g., MCT1, MCT4)[2][4], and it can activate certain G-protein coupled receptors such as GPR81[2]. Lactate ion itself is not a classical therapeutic target—it functions principally as a metabolite and signaling molecule rather than a receptor, enzyme, transporter, or transcription factor; however, its transporters or receptors (such as monocarboxylate transporters and GPR81) are recognized drug targets and fields of therapeutic interest[2]. Elevated lactate levels in bodily fluids are clinically valuable as biomarkers for tissue hypoxia, cardiovascular dysfunction, sepsis, and metabolic diseases.

Other names

lactate2-hydroxypropanoateβ-lactatebeta-LactateCHEBI:24996