title: Exploring liver mitochondrial function by ¹³C-stable isotope breath tests: implications in clinical biochemistry.
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 (13)C 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 (13)C-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 (13)C-breath tests represents a complementary tool to monitor complex metabolic processes in health and disease.
authors.affiliation: Italian College of General Practitioners, Florence, Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Ignazio
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Grattagliano
authors.forename: Leonilde
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bonfrate
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lorusso
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Castorani
authors.forename: Ornella
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: de Bari
authors.forename: Piero
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Portincasa
mesh_terms: D001944:Breath Tests / Q000379:methods*; D002247:Carbon Isotopes / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008930:Mitochondria, Liver / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D002247:Carbon Isotopes