The Xenopus oocyte: A model for studying the metabolic regulation of cancer cell death

► Xenopus egg is a biochemical model for metabolic regulation of apoptosis. ► Metabolism and apoptosis are coupled in the Xenopus laevis egg and tumors. ► The Xenopus egg and tumors both have increased lactate in the presence of oxygen. ► Glutamine is the major source for lactate in the Xenopus egg and tumors. ► Understanding how aberrant metabolism is coupled to apoptosis in tumorigenesis.