Monocarboxylates, such as lactate and pyruvate, play an integral role in cellular metabolism. Lactic acid is produced in large quantities as a result of glycolysis, which provides the majority of ATP to cells under normal physiological conditions. May play a role in promoting lymphoid tumor development: lymphoid cell lines overexpressing MCTS1 exhibit increased growth rates and display increased protection against apoptosis. MCT1 is widely expressed and is the major form of MCT in tumor cells and erythrocytes. MCT2 is highly expressed in liver and testis, while MCT3 and MCT4 are predominantly expressed in skeletal muscle.
