Metabolic flux analysis

Organic chemistry

Bioinformatics

Biology

Operating system

Metabolic network

Cancer

Tracing

Chemistry

Computer science

Metabolism

Computational biology

Genetics

Biochemistry

Flux (metallurgy)

Intracellular

Cancer cell

Experimental & Molecular Medicine

Cancer metabolism is significantly altered from normal cellular metabolism allowing cancer cells to adapt to changing microenvironments and maintain high rates of proliferation. In the past decade, stable-isotope tracing and network analysis have become powerful tools for uncovering metabolic pathways that are differentially activated in cancer cells. In particular, 13 C metabolic flux analysis ( 13 C-MFA) has emerged as the primary technique for quantifying intracellular fluxes in cancer cells. In this review, we provide a practical guide for investigators interested in getting started with 13 C-MFA. We describe best practices in 13 C-MFA, highlight potential pitfalls and alternative approaches, and conclude with new developments that can further enhance our understanding of cancer metabolism.

A guide to 13C metabolic flux analysis for the cancer biologist