Minireview: Adenosine 5 '-monophosphate-activated protein kinase regulation of fatty acid oxidation in skeletal muscle

AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is master regulator of energy balance through suppression of ATP-consuming anabolic pathways and enhancement of ATP-producing catabolic pathways. AMPK is activated by external metabolic stresses and subsequently orchestrates a complex downstream signaling cascade that mobilizes the cell for efficient energy production. AMPK has emerged as a key kinase driving lipid oxidation in skeletal muscle, and this function has important implications for exercise adaptations as well as metabolic defects associated with obesity.