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. 2012 May 16;7(5):e37424. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0037424

Figure 3. Metabolic pathway of gemcitabine.

Figure 3

Gemcitabine (2′,2′-difluorodeoxycytidine, dFdC) is taken in DNA through the active diphosphate (dFdCDP) and triphosphate (dFdCTP) by deoxycytidine kinase (dCK). dFdCTP can inhibit ribonucleotide reductase (RR). On the contrary, Cytidine deaminase (CDA) inactivates dFdC to 2′,2′-difluorodeoxyuridine (dFdU) by deamination. Tetrahydrouridine (THU) prevents dFdC from being inactivated by binding CDA directly. THU also leads to the potential for cell growth inhibition.