FIGURE 1.

Glutathione synthesis in cytosol and compartimentalization in mitochondria. GSH is synthesized from its constituent amino acids in the cytosol by the sequential action of γ-glutamylcysteine synthase (γ-GCS) and GSH synthase (GS). The functions of GSH are determined largely by the –SH of cysteine as by its role as a cofactor for antioxidant enzymes. Once synthesized in the cytosol, GSH can be transported to mitochondrial matrix by different carriers, particularly the 2-oxoglutarate carrier (OGC) and the dicarboxylate carrier (DIC), located in the mitochondrial inner membrane. The function the OGC has been shown to be dependent on changes in mitochondrial membrane dynamics.