Which transporter mediates the basolateral exit of glucose from enterocytes into the bloodstream?

• A. GLUT4
• B. GLUT1
• C. GLUT2
• D. SGLT1

Answer: (C)

GLUT2 is the transporter that allows glucose to leave enterocytes across the basolateral membrane into the bloodstream. After glucose is taken up from the intestinal lumen by SGLT1 on the apical side, it must cross the basolateral side to reach the blood, and GLUT2 facilitates that exit by transporting glucose down its concentration gradient into the interstitial fluid and then into the portal circulation.

GLUT1 and GLUT4 aren’t specialized for this role in enterocytes—GLUT1 is a broadly distributed transporter, and GLUT4 is insulin-responsive and mainly in muscle and adipose tissue. SGLT1 handles the apical uptake from the lumen, not the basolateral exit. So GLUT2 is the correct choice for the basolateral exit into the bloodstream.