Hexokinase (HK) is responsible for glucose phosphorylation, a process fundamental to regulating glucose uptake. In some tissues, hexokinase translocates to the mitochondria, thereby increasing its efficiency, and decreasing its susceptibility to product inhibition. It may also decrease free radical formation in the mitochondria and prevent apoptosis. Whether hexokinase translocation occurs in the heart is controversial; here, using immunogold labelling for the first time, we provide evidence for this process. Rat hearts (6 groups, n=6/group), perfused with either glucose or glucose+oleate (0.4mmol/L)-containing buffer were exposed to 30 min insulin stimulation, ischemia, or control perfusion. HK I and HK II distribution were then determined. In glucose-perfused hearts, HK I-mitochondrial binding increased from 0.41±0.04 golds. mm-1 in control hearts to 0.71±0.10 golds.mm-1 after insulin, and to 1.54±0.38 golds. mm^-1 after ischemia (P<0.05). Similarly, HK II-mitochondrial binding increased from 0.16±0.02 to 0.53±0.08 golds. mm-1 with insulin and 0.44±0.07 golds. mm^-1 after ischemia (P<0.05). Under basal conditions, the fraction of HK I that was mitochondrial-bound was five times greater than for HK II; insulin and ischemia caused a 4-fold increase in HK II binding, but only a doubling in HK I binding. Oleate decreased HK-mitochondrial binding and abolished insulin-mediated translocation of HK I. Our data show that mitochondrial-hexokinase binding increases under insulin or ischemic stimulation, and that this translocation is modified by oleate. These events are isoform specific, suggesting that HK I and HK II are independently regulated, implying that they perform different roles in cardiac glucose regulation.