Alpha-ketoglutarate (αKG), a vital intermediate in the tricarboxylic acid (TCA)/Krebs cycle, is located between succinyl-CoA and isocitrate.

α-Ketoglutaric acid has been used:

• as a supplement in minimum essential medium α (α-MEM) to culture primary mesenchymal stromal/stem cells (MSCs) to study its effects on age-related osteoporosis
• for chemical treatments to compare the treatment effects of several compounds on lifespan between manual and automated lifespan machine (ALM) platforms
• as a printed chemotaxis ligand to screen chemotaxis receptors with high-throughput technologies and verify the interactions with surface plasmon resonance (SPR)

Alpha-ketoglutarate (αKG), a nitrogen scavenger, is an important source of glutamate and glutamine. It controls the synthesis of ATP and decreases the generation of equivalent (NAD+/NADH) in the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle. It promotes the synthesis of protein and prevents protein degradation in muscles. This immune nutrient factor participates in the general immune and collagen metabolism. In aged rodents, αKG accelerates the healing of bone defects. It may possess potential anti-aging effects. This Krebs cycle molecule can be used as a supplement in insect and mammalian cell cultures.