Question

The liver is important in carbohydrate metabolism as it processes the monosaccharides galactose and fructose into glucose. What happens to this glucose once it is done being processed in the liver?

1) If glucose is present in excess, some can be turned into fat.
2) If glucose is present in excess, some can be stored as glycogen.
3) The liver can release the glucose directly into the bloodstream for transport to organs.
4) All of the choices are correct.

Answer 1

Once glucose is processed in the liver, it can be turned into fat for storage, stored as glycogen, or released into the bloodstream for energy use. All the provided choices correctly describe these outcomes.

Step-by-step explanation:

Once glucose has been processed in the liver, several pathways can determine its fate. If there is excess glucose, the liver can do several things:

1. Convert some of the excess glucose into fat - this is a form of long-term energy storage.
2. Store glucose as glycogen - this is a short-term storage form and is mainly to help regulate blood sugar levels.
3. The liver can release glucose directly into the bloodstream, where it will be transported to various organs and used for energy by cells responding to insulin during glycolysis, resulting in the production of ATP.

Therefore, all of the choices are correct in describing the potential pathways for glucose after its processing in the liver.