B3 Digestion and Absorption Flashcards
How much energy is derived from protein?
40%
What is the first macromolecule metabolised?
Protein
What is the last macromolecule metabolised?
Fat
What are essential amino acids?
Those that cannot be synthesised in the body
How are essential amino acids provided for the body?
Through the diet
What are non-essential amino acids?
Those that can be synthesised in the body
How are non-essential amino acids made in the body?
From common metabolic intermediates via transanimation
What are semi-essential amino acids?
Amino acids that become essential under conditions of metabolic stress or trauma
Why is glutamine important?
Used to make purines and pyrimidines in DNA synthesis
What are essential precursor amino acids?
Amino acids that can be made provided that there are enough of other amino acids
What are the two essential precursor amino acids?
Cysteine and tyrosine
What amino acid is important in surgical trauma and sepsis?
Glutamine
What amino acid is relevant at times of high protein intake
Arginine
What amino acid is important at times of high growth?
Arginine
What amino acid is present with high intakes of some xenobiotics?
Glycine
What amino acid is present in severe trauma?
Proline
Why is proline important in severe trauma?
It’s required for collagen synthesis
How are high concentrations of glycine gotten rid of?
Excreted as glycine conjugates
What macromolecule would you expect to see a decrease in after trauma?
Protein
What is amino acid metabolism closely related to?
Carbohydrate and fat metabolism
What does amino acid breakdown give rise to?
Intermediates of carbohydrate and fat metabolism
What are amino acids without their amino groups known as?
Carbon skeletons
Where do amino acids travel to from the small intestine?
Portal vein
What is an acceptor in amino acid metabolism?
A different keto-acid that takes the amino acid group from the transanimase enzyme
What vitamin is the co-factor for transaminase enzymes?
Vitamin B6
What does keto refer to in keto-acid?
The carbon skeleton
What are the 3 main transaminase enzymes?
Alanine aminotransanimase (ALT) Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) Glutamate aminotransferase
What do raised levels of alanime aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase indicate clinically?
Liver damage
What is the consequence of cholestasis?
Bile can’t get out of the liver
What is ALP?
Alkaline phosphatase
What do increased ALP levels indicate?
Increased synthesis by bile cannaliculi
Infiltrative disease of liver
Cirrhosis
What is GGT?
Gamma glutamyl transpeptidase
What do increased GGT levels indicate?
Cholestasis
What does raised GGT but normal ALP indicate?
Alcohol damage
What does raised ALP with normal GGT indicate?
Bone disease (e.g. Paget’s)
What do small increases in aminotransferases with large increases in both ALP and GGT indicate?
Biliary obstruction
What would large increases in amino transferases and a small increase in ALP indicate?
Hepatocellular damage
What is the major protein of the liver and blood?
Albumin?
Why is it important that the amino group gets removed from amino acids?
The keto acid can then be added to glutamate and sent through the krebs cycle
What are glucogenic amino acids?
Amino acids which can be converted back to glucose and continue like that through the krebs cycle
What are ketogenic amino acids?
Give rise to ketones or lose their carbons in breakdown pathways
Where is ammonia concentration highest in the body?
Liver
True or false? Ammonia being converted into urea involves mitochondria?
True
What enzymes can be responsible for forming ammonia?
Glutamate dehydrogenase
Aspartate
What is appreciable recycling?
Urea diffusing into gut lumen then being hydrolysed by gut bacteria
True or false? Ammonia being made into urea is a reversible process?
True
What is responsible for the conversion of urea to ammonia?
Bacteria urease
What is insulin’s effect on gluconeogenesis and lipolysis?
Decreases it