Question

please diagram and describe The Cell, Inc. analogy for cellular metabolism, metabolic regulation and metabolic changes in a cancer cell and upload it to this assignment.

In addition, please assemble a flow diagram/concept map using the following terms:

glycolysis

gluconeogenesis

metabolic pathway

metabolic flux/flow

enzyme

enzyme regulation

homoallostery

heteroallostery

feedback regulation

reciprocal regulation

energy charge

phosphorylation

homeostasis/steady state

cooperativity

adenylate kinase

AMPK

futile cycle

anabolic pathways

catabolic pathways

coordinated regulation

fructose 2,6 bisphosphate

protein kinase A

Answer 1

The normal cells produce energy for carrying out basic functions with the help of oxidative phosphorylation that takes place in the mitochondria of the cell. However, in the case of cancer cell, the energy in the cell is basically produced by aerobic glycolysis, also known as 'Warburg effect'. The mutations causing cancer in the cells cause the cell pathways to function in a manner that they obtain and metabolize the nutrients for multiplication rather than the production of ATP. During the Warburg effect, there is an increase in lactate production and glucose concentration of the cancer cell. This happens due to the enhanced conversion of glucose into pyruvate (glycolysis). On the other hand, acetyl Co-A production from the pyruvate is inhibited, which causes up-regulation of lactate production from pyruvate in the presence of lactate dehydrogenase. The nitrogen-containing compounds are formed with the help of glutamine, which also acts as anaplerotic in TCA cycle.

Below is the diagram of the pathways that are active in the cancer cells due to the activation of oncogenes. The pathways like oxidative phosphorylation, glutamine metabolism, glycolysis, pentose-phosphate pathways are associated with each other in the cancer cells. We can observe that the metabolic pathways function in a manner that allows the NADPH production and lipid production by allowing the flux of acetyl Co-A into the cytoplasm. The important steps are as follows-

PI3K is activated along with tyrosine kinase signaling by the activation of growth factor receptors. The glucose uptake is enhanced by the PI3K activation via AKT. On the other hand, tyrosine kinase signaling helps in the production of NADPH by negatively regulating the flux in glycolysis. Glutamine production and metabolism are regulated by Myc.