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Figure 1 | SpringerPlus

Figure 1

From: Creatine metabolism differs between mammals and rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

Figure 1

Schematic overview over the creatine pathway. The synthesis of creatine is a two-step mechanism (Wyss & Kaddurah-Daouk 2000). In the first step GATM produces guanidinoacetate and ornithine based on glycine and arginine. Guanidinoacetate is subsequently converted to creatine by GAMT. Finally, creatine phosphate is generated by creatine kinases like CKMT, CKB or CKM, which use the phosphate groups of ATP molecules to phosphorylate creatine molecules. They also catalyse the reverse reaction, the phosphorylation of ADP by creatine phosphate. The creatine transporter CT1 is in charge of the transport of creatine through the membranes of the target cells. As around 2% of the total creatine content is non-enzymatically converted to creatinine per day, which is excreted, creatine has to be synthesized continuously or to be taken up by diet.

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