Biochemical aspects of liver metabolism Flashcards

1
Q

Where is bile produced?

A

Liver

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2
Q

Name a plasma protein which is secreted in the liver

A

Albumin

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3
Q

What important molecules are stored in the liver?

A

Fuels, Iron, Vitamins

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4
Q

By what 2 processes are unwanted molecules eliminated?

A

Metabolism

Excretion into the biliary tree and faecal excretion

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5
Q

What is the importance of carbohydrate and lipid metabolism

A

Fuel storage

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6
Q

What is the importance of the amino acid metabolism

A

Urea cycle

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7
Q

What is electrophoresis

A

It allows the separation of proteins by size

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8
Q

Name 5 functions of plasma proteins

A
Maintenance of oncotic or colloid osmotic pressure 
Transport of hydrophobic substancces
pH bufferring 
Enzymatic
Immunity
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9
Q

What is the purpose of maintaining osmotic pressure

A

Prevents the loss of plasma proteins

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10
Q

Name some hydrophobic substances transported by plasma proteins

A

Steroid hormones
Free fatty acids
bilirubin
cholesterol

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11
Q

Name an ezymatic function of plasma proteins

A

Blood clotting

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12
Q

What are the 2 main substances secreted through plasma protein secretion

A

Albumin and alpha globulins

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13
Q

What do alpha globulins do?

A

Transport lipoproteins, lipids, hormones and bilirubin

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14
Q

What does retinol binding protein do?

A

Transports vitamin A

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15
Q

Name the main two beta globulins

A

Transferrin and fibrinogen

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16
Q

What is the function of Transferrin

A

Transports Fe3+

Indicator or iron deficiency

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17
Q

What is the function of fibrinogen

A

Inactive for of fibrin

Involved in the clotting of blood

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18
Q

What is Albumin and what is its main roll

A

Most abundant plasma protein
Small, negatively charge, water soluble protein
It is the main determinant of plasma oncotic pressure

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19
Q

How much albumin does the liver synthesise per day

A

14g

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20
Q

What stimulates the synthesis of albumin

A

Insulin

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21
Q

What causes low levels of albumin

A

Liver disease

Starvation / low protein diet

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22
Q

What is iron? How is it transported? and how is it stored?

A

It is a component of haemoglobin, myoglobin and cytochromes
Transported as ferric ion Fe3+ bound to transferrin
Stored in cells bound to ferritin

23
Q

How is copper transported in the blood

A

Bound to ceruloplasmin

24
Q

What is the roll of copper

A

Essential for regulation of redox reactions, transport and use of iron

25
Q

What is the disease called where there is a copper deficiency

A

Wilson’s disease

26
Q

What 2 groups of hormones are hydrophobic

A

Steroid hormones

T3/T4 thyroid hormones

27
Q

How are hormones transported

A

In the circulation bound to specific transport molecules

28
Q

What is thyroxine bound to?

A

Thyroid-binding globulin

What is cortisol bound to

29
Q

What is cortisol bound to

A

Cortisol binding globulin

30
Q

What is the purpose of hormone transport

A

They extend biological half life and increase plasma concentration

31
Q

Describe a lipoprotein

A

Hydrophobic
surrounded by a shell
Free cholesterol dispersed throughout

32
Q

What is the roll of a lipoprotein

A

To transport fat between organs and tissues

33
Q

What is the function of cholesterol transport

A

It removes excess cholesterol from cells

34
Q

Where is cholesterol metabolised and excreted

A

Liver

35
Q

How is cholesterol degraded

A

Esterified with fatty acids
Transported back to the liver
Excreted as bile salts via biliary system or faceces

36
Q

What 3 vitamins are stored in the liver ?

A

Vitamin A,D and B12

37
Q

What does cholesterol do in terms of mammalian cell membranes

A

Increases the rigidity of them

38
Q

What 3 classes of compounds is cholesterol a precursor for

A

Bile acids
Steroid hormone
Vitamin D

39
Q

Why is the metabolism of cholesterol important?

A

Etiology of cardiovascular disease

Major component of gall stones

40
Q

How is the majority of cholesterol transported

A

Esterified to a wide range of long-chain fatty acids

41
Q

How is cholesterol stored?

A

In lipid droplets

42
Q

What 2 places is cholesterol synthesised

A

Cytoplasm, some enzymes bound to ER membrane

43
Q

What 3 compounds are required to synthesis cholesterol

A

AcH
NADPH
ATP

44
Q

What is the function of HMG-CoA reductase

A

Catalyses the irreversible formatin of mevalonic acid

It is a rate limiting enzyme

45
Q

What is the effect of dietary cholesterol on HMG-CoA reductase activity

A

It reduces its activity

46
Q

What is the function of Vitamin D

A

Regulation of calcium and phosphorus metabolism

47
Q

What is the most abundant for of vitamin D

A

D3

48
Q

Name the 3 types of synthesised by cholesterol-steroid hormones

A

Corticosteroids
Androgens
Oestrogens

49
Q

What is the site of corticosteroid synthesis

A

Adrenal cortex

50
Q

What is the site of androgen synthesis

A

Testis

51
Q

What is the site of Oestrogen synthesis

A

Ovary

52
Q

What is the main product from cholesterol

A

Bile salts

53
Q

What does bile act as and for what

A

A detergent for emulsifying ingested lipids

54
Q

How is bile recycled

A

Enterohepatic circulation