Feedback Session Flashcards
how long do red blood cells last?
3-4 months
describe breakdown into red blood cells
broken down in liver and spleen, releasing haemoglobin
describe breakdown of haemoglobin
haem component divided into iron component and biliverdin by …………….
biliverdin converted to unconjugated bilirubin by biliverdin reductase and is transported to the liver with albumin
is unconjugated bilirubin water soluble?
no
therefore has to be bound to albumin
how is bilirubin conjugated?
conjugated with glucuronic acid via glucoronyl transferase
what does conjugated bilirubin do?
goes into the gall bladder along with cholesterol, bile salts etc to form bile
function of bile?
excretion of lipophilic toxins
excretion of substances too big for the kidney (bilirubin)
cholesterol elimination
immune function (IgA)
emulsify dietary fat aiding absorption (causes steatorrhoea if malfunctioning)
what are the 4 fat soluble vitamins?
A, D, E, K
what does vit K do?
needed to activate clotting factors
where does bile go after gallbladder?
reaches GI tract
converted to urobilinogen and stercobilinogen and then finally stercobilin
10-15% reabsorbed through enterohepatic circulation
what is AST and what does it do?
aspartate transaminase
part of amino acid metabolism and protein formation (not quite as specific to liver as ALT)
what is ALT and what does it do?
alanine transaminase
amino acid metabolism and protein formation (more specific to hepatocytes but not 100%)
AST a little high and ALT V. high?
liver
GGT?
glutathione metabolism and amino acid movement
fairly liver specific
ALP?
not specific to liver
