UNITIII
Ketosis
Ketosis
Ketosis simply means that ketones are
present in body fluids in elevated
concentrations
Ketone bodies are acetoacetic acid, beta-
hydroxybutyric acid and acetone
Ketosis is frequently associated with ketoacidosis
Ketosis is a normal response to low glucose availability
Ketogenesis take pace in lever
Aetyl CoA is precursor of ketone bodies
Mechanism of development
Occurs during fasting, starvation, carbohydrate
restriction, prolonged exercise
Trace levels of ketones are always present in the blood
Increase when blood glucose reserves are low
Liver shifts from primarily metabolizing carbohydrates
to metabolizing fatty acids
Mechanism of development…..
When the liver rapidly metabolizes fatty
acids into acetyl-CoA, some acetyl-CoA molecules can
then be converted into ketone bodies
These ketone bodies can function as an energy source
The liver itself cannot utilize these molecules for
energy, so the ketone bodies are released into the blood
for use by peripheral tissues including the brain
Acetyl-CoA can be metabolized through the
TCA cycle in any cell
Mechanism of development…..
It can also undergo ketogenesis in the mitochondria of
liver cells
When glucose availability is low, oxaloacetate is
diverted away from the TCA cycle and is instead used to
produce glucose via gluconeogenesis
Excess of Acetyl-CoA synthesize ketone bodies
Uncontrolled production of ketones leads to keosis
Biochemical alteration
Ketonemia- the presence of an abnormally high
concentration of ketone bodies in the blood
Hypoglycemia- decrease in blood glucose level
Ketonuria- presence of ketone bodies in urine
Rothera's test- Detection of ketone bodies in urine
Types of ketosis
Alimentary ketosis
Fasting Ketosis
Diabetic Ketosis
Ketosis Associated with Pregnancy and Lactation
Bovine ketosis- Cattle
Pregnancy toxemia- Sheep
Postexercise Ketosis
Alimentary ketosis
Alimentary ketosis occurs when cattle have been fed
spoiled silage that contains excessive amounts of butyric
acid
Ketogenesis can occur from Volatie Fatty acid
Propionate is the major gluconeogenic precursor and is
not an important precursor of ketones
Butyrate is converted to 3-hydroxybutyrate by the
rumen epithelium
Rumen epithelial cells possess high activities of butyryl-
CoA synthetase, which can convert butyrate to butyryl-
CoA
Fasting Ketosis
During fasting, hormonal changes occur that
promote lipolysis
Plasma glucose concentrations will decrease
(hypoglycemia)
Low plasma insulin concentrations high
plasma glucagon concentrations
These hormonal changes will increase cAMP
concentrations in adipose cells, which leads
to the activation of hormone sensitive lipase
Long chain fatty acid released from adipose
tissue
Diabetic Ketosis
More frequently in dogs and cats than other
domestic species
Diabetes is accompanied by hyperglycemia,
whereas most other ketotic syndromes
occurring in domestic animals are usually
accompanied by normoglycemia or
hypoglycemia
The ketonemia in diabetes is due to
increased lipolysis in adipose plus
accelerated hepatic gluconeogenesis
Post exercise ketosis
During exercise long chain fatty acid bodies is utilized
by muscles
Ketone bodies formed from long chain fatty acid is
utilized by muscle
Trained athlete have high activity of enzyme related to
fatty acid and ketone bodies utilization
After exercise ketone bodies is still synthesizing which
leads to accumulation of ketone bodies (Ketosis)
