BRS - Biochem Clinical Correlates Flashcards
Which cells produce HCl of the stomach?
What is responsible for producing acidic gastric fluid?
- parietal cells of the stomach produce HCl
- H+-K+ ATPase (the proton pump) in the cell membrane is responsible for producing as much as 2 L of acidic gastric fluid per day.
GERD:
pathology, symptoms, treatment
gastroesophageal refulx disease (GERD)
- results from reflux of HCl into the esophagus
- sxs: burning sensation in the chest, cough, SOB
- tx: proton pump inhibitors (PPI - omeprazole) to inhibit the H-K-ATPase/ “proton pump”
what drug is used to treat glaucoma and altitude sickness?
carbonic anhydrase inhibitor (acetazolamide);
blocks the reaction pictured

what can cause metabolic acidosis?
- accumulation of metabolic acids
- lactic acid or the ketone bodies, b-hydroxybutyric acid, and acetoacetic acid
- ingestion of acids or compounds that are metabolized to acids
- (e.g., methanol, ethylene glycol).
what can cause METABOLIC ALKALOSIS?
- due to increased HCO3-, (accompanied by an inc. pH)
- Acid-base disturbances –> compensatory responses –> attempt to restore normal pH.
- E.g. a metabolic acidosis causes hyperventilation & the release of CO2, which tends to raise the pH.
- During metabolic acidosis, the kidneys excrete NH4+, which contains H+ buffered by ammonia:

Glycoside digitalis:
mechanism of action, use
- MOA: inhibit the Na-K ATPase on cell membranes
- Tx: congestive heart failure
how do labs measure the amount of glucose in urine?
(highly specific test)
using a dipstick to measure glucose in urine;
measures oxidation of glucose by GLUCOSE OXIDASE
Gray Baby Syndrome:
define, physiology of infants –> pathology
- DEF: fetal shock-like syndrome (circulatory collapse); ashen-gray color, abdominal distention, vomiting, flaccidity, cyanosis, circulatory collapse, and death
- PHYS: infants have decreased ability to conjugate glucuronic acid onto drugs such as CHLORAMPHENICOL
- PATH: Admin of antibiotic during the neonatal period can result in elevated plasma levels of the drug
Benedict test for reducing sugars:
- why used?
- what does it detect?
- when is this used routinely?
- why: bc dipsticks ONLY detect glucose; this is another test for reducing sugars
- what: ALSO detects the presence of glucose, sucrose, galactose, and fructose
- when: most newborn and infant urine is routinely screened
- screened for reducing sugars to detect inborn errors in metabolism
Sorbitol:
def:
diffusion?
clinical correlate
- def: glucose is reduced to SORBITOL
- DOES NOT READILY diffuse out of cells
- CC: as sorbitol accumulates in cells –> causes osmotic damage to cells of the nervous system –> cataracts and neuropathy
Leukocyte adhesion deficiency (LAD) II:
pathology, sxs
- Path: pts w/ this type of congenital deficiency –> deficiency in ability to glycosylate ligands for cell surface selectins, which mediate immune cell migration
- Sxs: prone to recurrent life-threatening infxns
Heparin:
composition, MOA, use
- glycosaminoglycan
- important anti-coagulant found in the granules of mast cells
- tx myocardial infarction as well as preventing DVT during hospitalizations
Influenza virus:
MOA
infects cells by binding its viral hemagglutinin to SIALIC ACID on the surface of epithelial cells
Glycine:
function in the brain?
what antagnoizes it?
- Fxn: Glycine functions as INHIBITORY NEUROTRANSMITTER in the brainstem and spinal cord;
- Antagonist: RODENTICIDE STRYCHINE –> muscle spasm and twitching
Glutamate:
MOA,
Antagonist
Implications
- MOA: Amino acid of highest concentration in brain and fxns as neurotransmitter in brain and spinal cord; EXCITATORY
- Antagonist: MEMANTINE, used for tx of Alzheimer disease
- Glutamate antagonism implicated in SCHIZOPHRENIA, in which drugs of abuse, like ketamine & phencyclidine, affects glutamate binding to its receptor
Cholera toxin:
MOA, CC
it binds to the ganglioside GM1 receptor on cells and upon entry causes a potentially life-threatening water diarrhea
CYSTIC FIBROSIS TRANSMEMBRANE REGULATOR
(CFTR):
where, mutation, CC
Marfan Syndrome:
biochem/gross pathology; presentation
- biochem: mutations in gene for the highly alpha-helical fibrillary protein FIBRILLIN, which is a major component of fibrils found in extracellular matrix
- gross: patients have DEFECTIVE CONNECTIVE TISSUE, particularly in ligaments and aorta
- presentation: excessively long fingers and extremities; arachnodactyly, and predisposition to dissecting aortic aneurysms and valvular disease
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD)
pathology, presentation
- path: prion disease; results from transmission of a proteinaceous agent that is capable of altering the normal alpha-helical arrangement of prion protein->
- replacing it with beta-pleated sheets and smaller alpha helices; similar to pathogenic form –>
- resulting misfolding protein is resistant to degradation, w/ death of the affected neurons
- presentation: pronounced involuntary jerking movements (startle myoclonus), and rapidly deteriorating DEMENTIA
Heat shock proteins:
function, pathology
- fxn: group of chaperones
- path: mutations in such proteins –> leads to human disease
- Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (MC cause of inherited neuromuscular diseases ; found to have mutations in HSPS
alpha1- antitrypsin (AAT) deficiency:
path, presentation
- path: results in misfolded protein that gets trapped w/in the cell
- presentation: pts w/ decreased levels of this protease inhibitor manifest w/ cirrhosis and emphysema
Huntington disease:
pathology, presentation
- path: expansion of a region of POLYGLUTAMINE REPEATS w/in the Huntington protein –> protein aggregates and forms intranuclear inclusions –> neuronal cell death
- presentation:
- progressive movement disorders
- dementia
Bortezomib (Velcade)
purpose, function
- purpose: novel anticancer drug; used for treatment fo multiple myeloma and inhibits the proteasome
- function: thought is that cancer cells are more dependent on proteasomal degradation than normal cells for proliferation, metastasis, and survival