The transamination of oxaloacetate to aspartate is achieved through the use of glutamate. Glutamate is transported with aspartate via antiporter, thus as one aspartate leaves the cell, a glutamate enters. Glutamate in the matrix is converted into an a-ketoglutarate which is transported in an antiporter with malate. In the cytoplasmic side a-ketoglutarate is converted back into glutamate when aspartate is converted back to oxaloacetate.