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Exploring Liver Mitochondrial Function by 13C-Stable Isotope Breath Tests: Implications in Clinical Biochemistry

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Mitochondrial Regulation

Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology ((MIMB,volume 1241))

Abstract

The liver plays a pivotal role in a myriad of metabolic processes, including detoxification, glycolipidic storage and export, and protein synthesis. Breath tests employing 13C as stable isotope have been introduced to explore such energy-dependent pathways involving mitochondrial function in the liver. Specific substrates are ketoisocaproic acid, methionine, and octanoic acid. In humans, the application of 13C-breath tests ranges from nonalcoholic and alcoholic liver diseases to liver cirrhosis, hepatocarcinoma, preoperative and postoperative assessment of liver function, and drug-induced liver damage. Studying liver mitochondrial function by 13C-breath tests represents a complementary tool to monitor complex metabolic processes in health and disease.

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Acknowledgements

This work is partly supported by grants from the University of Bari (ORBA09XZZT, ORBA08YHKX). We are indebted to Carlos Palmeira, Paulo Oliveira and Catia Diogo (Coimbra University, Portugal) for longstanding scientific discussions and for sharing collaboration. We thank Rosa De Venuto, Paola De Benedictis, and Michele Persichella for skillful technical support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Italian College of General Practitioners, Florence, Bari, Italy

    Ignazio Grattagliano

  2. Clinica Medica “A. Murri”, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology, “Aldo Moro” University Medical School, Piazza Umberto I, 70121, Bari, Italy

    Leonilde Bonfrate M.D., Michele Lorusso, Luigi Castorani, Ornella de Bari B.Sc. & Piero Portincasa M.D., Ph.D.

  3. Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA

    Ornella de Bari B.Sc.

  4. University of Bari Medical School – Policlinico, 70124, Bari, Italy

    Piero Portincasa M.D., Ph.D.

Authors
  1. Ignazio Grattagliano
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  2. Leonilde Bonfrate M.D.
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  3. Michele Lorusso
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  4. Luigi Castorani
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  5. Ornella de Bari B.Sc.
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  6. Piero Portincasa M.D., Ph.D.
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Piero Portincasa M.D., Ph.D. .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Life Sciences and Center for Neurosciences and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal

    Carlos M. Palmeira

  2. Department of Biology and Center for Neurosciences and Cell Biology, University of Aveiro and University of Coimbra, Aveiro and Coimbra, Portugal

    Anabela P. Rolo

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Grattagliano, I., Bonfrate, L., Lorusso, M., Castorani, L., de Bari, O., Portincasa, P. (2015). Exploring Liver Mitochondrial Function by 13C-Stable Isotope Breath Tests: Implications in Clinical Biochemistry. In: Palmeira, C., Rolo, A. (eds) Mitochondrial Regulation. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 1241. Humana Press, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-1875-1_12

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-1875-1_12

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  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4939-1874-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4939-1875-1

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