Glycerol-3-Phosphate (G3P) Content Assay Kit, 100T/96S

Glycerol-3-Phosphate (G3P), also scientifically referred to as glycerol α-phosphate or 3-glycerophosphoric acid, stands as a pivotal intermediate molecule that underpins the functionality of carbohydrate, lipid, and energy metabolic pathways across all living organisms—spanning animals, fungi, plants, and even microbial systems. Its universal presence and multi-pathway involvement make it a critical target for research in fields ranging from basic biochemistry to disease-related studies.

The biosynthesis of G3P occurs through two primary, evolutionarily conserved pathways:
One pathway relies on glycerol as the precursor, which is phosphorylated by the enzyme glycerol kinase to form G3P. This route is particularly active in tissues with high lipid turnover, such as adipose tissue and liver cells, where glycerol released from lipid breakdown is recycled into metabolic intermediates.
The other key pathway involves the reduction of dihydroxyacetone phosphate (DHAP)—a central intermediate in glycolysis—via the enzyme glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GPDH). This reaction not only generates G3P but also plays a role in maintaining cellular redox balance by regenerating NAD⁺, a coenzyme essential for sustaining glycolytic flux.

Once synthesized, G3P is dynamically shuttled between critical metabolic pathways to meet cellular demands:
In energy metabolism, G3P can be converted to glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate (G3P, a different molecule despite the same acronym), which directly enters the later stages of glycolysis or the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle to produce ATP—cellular energy currency. Additionally, in brain and skeletal muscle cells, G3P participates in the "G3P shuttle," a mechanism that transfers electrons from cytosolic NADH to the mitochondrial electron transport chain, enabling efficient ATP production without NADH crossing the mitochondrial membrane.
In lipid biosynthesis, G3P serves as the foundational building block for the synthesis of triglycerides (the primary form of stored fat), phospholipids (key components of cell membranes), and glycolipids (critical for cell signaling and recognition). Dysregulation of G3P metabolism in this pathway is closely linked to lipid imbalance disorders, including obesity, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and dyslipidemia.
Beyond metabolism, emerging research highlights G3P’s role in specialized biological processes. For instance, in plants, G3P acts as a novel regulatory molecule and plays a fundamental defense role in pathogenesis—helping plants mount immune responses against bacterial, fungal, and viral pathogens. In mammalian systems, abnormal G3P levels have also been associated with neurological disorders (e.g., impaired mitochondrial function in brain cells) and cardiovascular diseases (e.g., lipid accumulation in arterial walls).

Given G3P’s centrality in metabolism and disease, accurate quantification of G3P in biological samples (such as tissue lysates, cell lysates, and even microbial cultures) is essential for advancing research in areas like metabolic physiology, disease mechanisms, drug discovery, and agricultural biotechnology. The Glycerol-3-Phosphate (G3P) Content Assay Kit (100T/96S, Cat.No: FAMAK-YJL-0038) is specifically designed to address this research need, providing a reliable tool for detecting and quantifying G3P in diverse sample types.