Ethanol stimulates lipid biosynthesis in the rat reticulocyte by activating glycerol kinase

In the liver, the ability of ethanol to stimulate glycerolipid biosynthesis has been attributed mainly to its oxidation by alcohol dehydrogenase and to the subsequent enhanced production of glycerol 3-phosphate via the dihydroxyacetone phosphate pathway. To explore alternative pathways, rat reticulocytes, which are devoid of alcohol deshydrogenase, have been exposed to ethanol and their glycerolipid metabolism has been investigated using glycerol as a lipid precursor. The results indicate that short-term (