The Cori Cycle is responsible for converting which substance?

The Cori Cycle primarily involves the conversion of lactate into glucose. When muscles engage in anaerobic respiration due to high intensity exercise, they produce lactate as a byproduct. This lactate then enters the bloodstream and is transported to the liver. In the liver, lactate undergoes gluconeogenesis, which is the biochemical process that converts lactate back into glucose. This newly formed glucose can then be returned to the muscles to be used as an energy source, effectively helping to clear lactic acid from the muscles and replenish energy stores.

Understanding this process emphasizes the relationship between lactate production during exercise and its subsequent conversion into a usable energy source through the Cori Cycle, which is essential for maintaining energy levels during prolonged physical activity.