Glucose metabolism of mammalian erythrocytes

Under physiological conditions, erythrocytes of the horse metabolized 638 ± 37 (± SE) nmoles glucose/ml cells/hr at 37°C compared to 942 ± 31 for the cat, 1,329 ± 44 for the dog, and 1,485 ± 43 for man. On an absolute basis, pentose phosphate metabolism was similar between species, with species differences in erythrocyte glucose utilization attributable to differences in Embden‐Meyerhof pathway metabolism. By examining pentose phosphate pathway recycling, it appears that some functional compartmentation exists within erythrocytes.