Biochemistry Flashcards
What is glycogen used for in human
Storage of carbohydrates
What is glycogenesis
Synthesis of glycogen from glucose
What is gluconeogenesis
Formation of glucose from non-carbohydrate sources such as lactate and glycerol
Where does glycogen occur
Liver and muscle cells, same structure different function
Use of glycogen in liver
Broken down between meal to keep up blood glucose levels for RBC and brain
Use of glycogen in muscle
Can’t be broken down for blood glucose levels, used to provide energy via glycolysis during physical activity
What is glycogenolysis
Breakdown of glycogen to glucose
What organ helps to keep blood sugar levels constant between meal times
Liver via glycogenolysis
Primary source of glucose overnight
Gluconeogenesis, only when hepatic glycogen depleted
First step in glycogen synthesis
Glucose - (hexokinase) to Glucose-6-phosphate
How is glycogen chain elongated
Glycogen consists of branches and sticks one glucose from UDP-glucose molecules onto this chain to increases size of glycogen.
What is the activated form of glucose
UDP-glucose, glucose transfer molecule
What catalyzes glycogen from UDP-glucose
Glycogen synthase
Significance of Glycogenin
Substrate involved in converting glucose to glycogen, acts as a primer by polymerising first few glucose molecules. Important as Gycogen synthase can extend existing chains of glycogen, not start new molecules
Rate limiting enzyme for glycogenesis
Glycogen synthase
Function of transglycosylase
Introduce alpha 1-6 glycosidic branches in glycogen
Enzyme used in Glycogenolysis
Glycogen phosphorylase, rate limiting step
End product of glycogenolysis
Glucose - 1 - Phosphate
Which cells can dephosphorylate glucose-6-phosphate
Liver and not skeletal muscle cells
Hormone stimulating synthesis of Glycogen formation
Insulin stimulate Glycogenesis, Glycogen synthase
Occurs when lots of carbohydrates are in blood stream
Hormone of starving state
Glucagon, signal lack of glucose in blood stream. Stimulate glycogenolysis, glycogen phosphorylase
What hormones other than Glucagon stimulate glycogen phosphorylase
Adrenaline and Cortisol, existing carbohydrate stores broken down into glucose
Precursors for gluconeogenesis
Lactate - By skeletal muscle under anaerobic condition
Amino acids - From muscle protein by proteolysis
Glycerol - From triglycerides by lipolysis
Where does gluconeogenesis occur
Liver and small amounts in kidney
First substrate of gluconeogenesis
Pyruvate, 2 to make one glucose
Glycolysis vs gluconeogenesis energetically
Gluconeogenesis requires 6 ATP (4 ATP + 2 GTP) to make a Glucose, energetically expensive. Glycolysis generates 2 ATP for each glucose. Hence our body should conduct gluconeogenesis only required
How can lactate enter gluconeogenesis
Lactate is a polar molecule. It’s produced by the cori cycle as part of anaerobic skeletal muscle respiration from glucose - pyruvate - lactate. This is transported via blood to the liver to enter gluconeogenesis
Which amino acids can be used to make glucose, Ketogenic or Glucogenic
Glucogenic amino acids can enter gluconeogenesis via TCA cycle substrates or converted to pyruvate
First reaction in gluconeogenesis
Pyruvate to Oxaloacetate
What is glycoysis
Breakdown of glucose into pyruvate
Glucagon on glycolysis
Glucagon stimulates gluconeogenesis and inhibit glycolysis
Insulin on gluconeogenesis
Insulin stimulates gluconeogenesis as plenty of glucose is around
High ADP and AMP in cells and gluconeogenesis
High AMP/ADP in cells signals low energy and hence glucose breakdown should be started. This stimulates glycolysis and inhibits gluconeogenesis which is energetically expensive
Concentration of fructose 2,6-bisphosphate on gluconeogenesis
High concentrations of fructose 2,6-bisphosphate is found in a fed state, hence glycolysis is favoured at high concentrations
High concentrations of citrate, alanine and acetyl-CoA
Precursor molecules of biosynthetic processes, present at high concentration when intermediates for building blocks are abundant. Inhibit glycolysis and stimulate gluconeogenesis
How are lipids digested
lingual phase in mouth - Quantitatively unimportant
Gastric phase in stomach - Most importance
Small intestine - Most important, emulsification by bile synthesis by liver, pancreatic lipase, hydrolyses TAGs to monoglyceride and free fatty acids.
What helps emulsify lipids
It is the breakdown of large fat globules into smaller, uniformly distributed particles. Helped by bile
How are lipid droplets avoided from coming back together after emulsification
Droplets are stabilised by addition of amyopathic coat consisting of - certain products of lipid digestion, monoacylglycerols, cholesterol and bile salts
What are triacylglycerols converted to
Diglycerols and fatty acids
Function of free fatty acids produced as a result of emulsification in the stomach
Free fatty acids stimluate CCK release from duodenum and secretion of pancreatic lipase
Function of HCO3- in succus entericous
Neutralize stomach acid and provide suitable pH for optimal enzyme action
Where does main lipid digestion occur
At the duodenum by pancreatic lipase, main digestive enzyme in adults
What can failure to secrete bile cause
Lipid malabsorption (steatorrhoea) and secondary vitamin deficiency (A,D,E,K)
Function of co-lipase
Bile salts inhibit access of pancreatic lipase to triglycerides. Co-lipase binds to bile salts and brings lipase in close contact with tri and diglycerids, where lipase can break it down.
Gastric lipase breakdown of lipase
Triglyceride = Diglyceride + Free fatty acids
Pancreatic lipase breakdown of lipase
Triglyceride = 2-monoglyceride + 2 fatty acids
How are short (<6) and medium (8-12) fatty acids absorbed
Diffused through enterocyte, exit basolateral membrane and enter the villus capillaries
How are long (> 12) fatty acids and monoglycerides absorbed
They enter the apical membrane of enteroctyes by passive diffusion and are resyntheized to triglycerides in the endoplasmic reticulum. They are incorporated into chylomicrons subsequently and carried in lymph vessels to systemic circulation via thoracic duct.
What happens to the chylomicron after entering systemic circulation
Chylomicron triglycerides metabolised in capillaries (muscle and adipose mostly) by lipoprotein lipase on endothelial cells. Free fatty acids and glycerol released bind to albumen and taken up by tissue
What enzyme on epithelial cells of capillaries metabolises chylomicrons
Lipoprotein lipase
Where does chylomicron remnant undergo endocytosis
Hepatocytes to be stored, secreted unaltered in bile and oxidised to bile salts
What aides in cholesterol absorption
Transport by endocytosis in clathrin coated pits by Neimann-Pick C1 like 1 (NPC1L) protein
Mechanism of Ezetimibe
Binds to NPC1L1 protein, prevents internalization and absorption of cholesterol. Used in conjunction with statins in hypercholesterolaemia
How is calcium absorbed
Passive paracellular along the length of small intestine.
Active transcellular mainly duodenum and jejunum.
Under what amount is Ca absorption active
< 5 mM of Ca
What regulates active Ca absorption
1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (calcitriol) and parathyroid hormone which increases synthesis of former
Storage form of Iron
Ferratin
Major control of Iron absorption
Ferroportin aka SLC40
What regulates ferroportin
Hormone hepcidin released from liver when body iron levels are high
How is cobalamin absorbed
Cobalamin (B12) is ingested in food. Haptocorin released from salivary glands. Stomach acid releases B12 from food. Haptocorin binds with B12 in stomach. Parietal cells release intrinsic factor. Pancreatic protease digest haptocorin in small intestine releasing B12. B12 binds to intrinsic factor in small intestine. This complex is absorbed in ileum by endocytosis.
How are fat soluble vitamins absorbed
A, D, E and K are incorporated into mixed micelles. Passively transported into enterocytes. Incorporated into chylomicrons or VLDL which are distributed by intestinal lymphatics.
How are water soluble vitamins transported
In apical membrane similar to monosaccharides, amino acids and di- and tripeptides