Change of the Gluconeogenic Capacity of Rat Kidney Cortex Slices with Dietary Components

Substituting protein for carbohydrate in diets significantly enhanced the rates of glucose formation from pyruvate, glutamate, or glycerol in rat kidney cortex slices. The tissue, however, increased slightly its gluconeogenic capacity in response to low carbohydrate, high fat diet. The rates of glucose taken up per unit weight of kidney cortex of rats fed a high carbohydrate diet was higher than those of rats fed diets high in protein or fat. Kidney weight in g per 100 g body weight (relative kidney size) of rats fed diets high in protein was significantly higher than that of rats fed diets high in carbohydrate or fat.