Lactose degradation (Lactose metabolism) shows the breakdown of alpha lactose into its constituent sugars, which are then utilized by the body as an energy source. Alpha-Lactose is the major sugar present in milk and the main source of energy supplied to the newborn mammalian in its mother’s milk. Lactose is also an important osmotic regulator of lactation. It is digested by the intestinal lactase, an enzyme expressed in newborns. Its activity declines following weaning. Lactase hydrolyzes alpha lactose into D-glucose and D-galactose, which are actively transported into the intestinal epithelial cells via the SGLT1 (GLUT1) cotransporter. GLUT1 actively transports glucose and galactose with 2 sodium ions. A sodium/potassium ATPase makes ATP by moving three sodium ions to the blood per two potassium ions that cross into the epithelial cell, giving the GLUT1 transporter energy to work. D-glucose and D-galactose diffuse into the blood, facilitated by the SLC2A2 transporter on the basolateral membrane on the intestinal epithelial cells. The sugars are then transported to liver.

Lactose Degradation References