Final answer:
It is true that ketone bodies can be reconverted to acetyl CoA through the process of ketone oxidation, which enables their use as an energy source when glucose is limited.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that ketone bodies can be reconverted to acetyl CoA is true. When glucose levels are low, ketone bodies such as acetoacetate and ß-hydroxybutyrate are transported from the liver to other tissues. There, they undergo ketone oxidation where ß-hydroxybutyrate is oxidized to acetoacetate and subsequently, an HS-CoA molecule is added to acetoacetate to form acetoacetyl CoA. This compound then splits, resulting in two molecules of acetyl CoA, which can enter the citric acid cycle (Krebs cycle) to produce energy.
In conditions like prolonged starvation or uncontrolled diabetes, when glucose is scarce and fatty acid oxidation leads to an excess of acetyl CoA, the body diverts this acetyl CoA to create ketone bodies through a process called ketogenesis. This mechanism allows for energy production during periods of low glucose availability, ensuring that organs such as the brain, which can use ketones for energy, continue to function. The reverse process of ketogenesis is a vital energy-generating pathway during such metabolic states.