A young animal has never had much energy. He is brought to a veterinarian for help and is sent to the animal hospital for some tests. There they discover his mitochondria can use only fatty acids and amino acids for respiration, and his cells produce more lactate than normal. Of the following, which is the best explanation of his condition?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

His mitochondria lack the transport protein that moves pyruvate across the outer mitochondrial membrane. This would explain why the mitochondria can only use fatty acids and amino acids for respiration, as pyruvate derived from glucose cannot enter the mitochondria. The increased lactate production suggests an accumulation of pyruvate that is then converted to lactate in the cytosol, a common response when mitochondrial respiration is impaired.

A Young Animal Has Never Had Much Energy