An introduction to the use of tracers in nutrition and metabolism

• Published in: Proceedings of the Nutrition Society Vol. 58; no. 4; pp. 935 - 944
• Main Author: Rennie, Michael J.
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge, UK Cambridge University Press 01.11.1999
• Subjects: Animals; Humans; Indicator Dilution Techniques; Isotope Labeling; Isotopes; Isotopic-labelling techniques; Metabolism; Nucleic Acids - metabolism; Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; Protein metabolism; Proteins - metabolism; Radioactive Tracers; Stable-isotope tracers; Protein metabolism; Radioactive tracers; Stable-isotope tracers; Isotopic-labelling techniques
• ISSN: 0029-6651; 1475-2719
• DOI: 10.1017/S002966519900124X

The present article is a review written at a level suitable for students and new workers to the field of techniques in common current use for the measurement of static and dynamic features of metabolism, especially nutritional metabolism. It covers the nature of radioactive and stable-isotope tracers, the means of measuring them, and the advantages and disadvantages of their use. The greater part of the review deals with methods for the measurement of pool sizes and metabolic processes, with the emphasis being on protein metabolism, a field the author knows best. The examples given are from a variety of sources, including the work of the author, but the principles underlying the techniques are universally applicable to all metabolic investigations using tracers.