What happens to glucose-6-phosphate in hepatocytes?

In hepatocytes, glucose-6-phosphate can be dephosphorylated into free glucose, which is crucial for maintaining blood glucose levels. This process occurs primarily in the liver due to the enzyme glucose-6-phosphatase, which is specifically expressed in liver and kidney tissues. When the body requires glucose, particularly during fasting or increased demand for energy, the liver converts glucose-6-phosphate back to glucose, allowing it to be released into the bloodstream to supply other tissues with energy.

While glucose-6-phosphate can also be involved in other metabolic pathways, such as being stored as glycogen, converted to fatty acids, or utilized in glycolysis, the dephosphorylation to free glucose is a key function of hepatocytes that has significant implications for blood glucose regulation and overall metabolism.