CONICET | Buscador de Institutos y Recursos Humanos

Blood glucose, the natural source of energy substrate for the cells in intact animals, must be maintained within tight range to cope with the cell demand. Since glycaemia fluctuates according to fasting and feeding state, the liver plays a key role in glucose homeostasis either increasing or decreasing its glucose output and uptake. In this context, liver glucokinase (GCK) becomes a key player and a complex net of mechanisms modulates its activity in a coordinated manner: in the postprandial period the simultaneous rise in blood glucose and insulin increase GCK activity by combining enhanced gene expression, changes in cellular location and interaction with regulatory proteins. Conversely, in the fasting state the low blood glucose and insulin concentration together with a rise in glucagon concentration shuts-down GCK activity. This review summarizes the current knowledge about the mechanisms involved in the regulation of hepatic GCK activity.