How is Oxygen-18 Used in Tracing Metabolic Pathways?
One of the key applications of Oxygen-18 in histology is in isotopic labeling experiments. By incorporating Oxygen-18 into water (H218O) or oxygen gas (18O2), scientists can trace the isotope through various biochemical reactions. This is particularly useful for studying pathways like the citric acid cycle and oxidative phosphorylation, providing a detailed look at how oxygen is utilized within cells.
