Affiliation:
1. Department of Physical Education and Sports Science at Serres Aristotle University of Thessaloniki Serres Greece
2. School of Physical Education and Sport Science National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Athens Greece
3. Department of Life Sciences, School of Sciences European University Cyprus Nicosia Cyprus
4. Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus Aurora Colorado USA
Abstract
AbstractOur aim is to present an updated overview of the erythrocyte metabolism highlighting its richness and complexity. We have manually collected and connected the available biochemical pathways and integrated them into a functional metabolic map. The focus of this map is on the main biochemical pathways consisting of glycolysis, the pentose phosphate pathway, redox metabolism, oxygen metabolism, purine/nucleoside metabolism, and membrane transport. Other recently emerging pathways are also curated, like the methionine salvage pathway, the glyoxalase system, carnitine metabolism, and the lands cycle, as well as remnants of the carboxylic acid metabolism. An additional goal of this review is to present the dynamics of erythrocyte metabolism, providing key numbers used to perform basic quantitative analyses. By synthesizing experimental and computational data, we conclude that glycolysis, pentose phosphate pathway, and redox metabolism are the foundations of erythrocyte metabolism. Additionally, the erythrocyte can sense oxygen levels and oxidative stress adjusting its mechanics, metabolism, and function. In conclusion, fine‐tuning of erythrocyte metabolism controls one of the most important biological processes, that is, oxygen loading, transport, and delivery.