Creatine Kinase Flashcards
myocardial infarct
the death of heart muscle cells
why do the cells die
lack of oxygen
why can there be a lack of oxygen
blockage of the cardiac arteries (atherosclerosis)
where is Creatine Kinase (CK) normally present
in all cells at very low levels but is at high concentrations in metabolically very active tissues including the brain, heart and skeletal muscle
how is CK activity measured
activity in the serum can be detected by a coupled assay leading to the generation of detectable products
how do we know which type of cell has died
CK = dimer.
two monomers = coded by different genes.
generate two different monomer isoforms “B” and “M”
same molecular weigh (43 kDa) but differ in their charge
BB, MM, MB
MM = skeletal muscle
BB = brain
MB = cardiac muscle
how might you experimentally discern between different protein isoforms
electrophoresis or column chromatography = slow + require expertise
ideal test = one that depends upon a specific antibody that recognises a specific isoform
