Integration of Cells and Tissues Flashcards
What carries action potentials so that neurons can communicate with each other?
Axons
What percentage of basal metabolism is devoted to the brain?
25% since it contains lots of neurons which require energy to maintain their ion concentrations
What is basal metabolism?
The number of calories required to keep your body functioning at rest.
What in neurons is responsible for the ion concentration differences between intracellular and extracellular parts of the neuron?
Ion pumps, voltage-gated ion channels and ligand-gated ion channel
Which proteins are largely found in skeletal muscle and are responsible for muscle movement?
Actin and myosin
What reactions are the main source of energy for muscle for the movement of myosin heads?
Oxidation of fats and carbohydrates that produce ATP
How is energy stored in white adipose tissue?
In the form of fatty acids which are converted into triacylglycerols
What proteins carry triacylglycerol cells from the liver to adipose tissue?
Very low density lipoproteins (VLDL) in the blood
How is triacylglycerol transferred from VLDL to white adipose tissue?
Lipoprotein lipase (LPL) removes it from the VLDL and stores it in the adipose tissue
What is GLUT 4?
An insulin-stimulated glucose transporter which ensures that when there is excess glucose, this is made into fatty acid and triacylglycerols
What are the 2 main enzymes required for fatty acid synthesis and what are their general roles?
Acetyl-CoA carboxylase: Adds a CO2 onto acetyl-CoA to form malonyl-CoA
Fatty acid synthase: Grows the chain of carbons to form the fatty acid
Where is Acetyl-CoA carboxylase and fatty acid synthase found?
In the cytoplasm of the cells in adipose tissue
What is the enzyme that can breakdown triacylglycerols into fatty acids in adipose tissue?
HSL: hormone sensitive lipase
What organ is the largest in the body besides skin?
Liver
Describe the general structure of the liver
2 major lobes and 2 smaller lobes which are separated by the falciform ligament
Each lobe is made up of many lobules (the functional units)
Describe the structure of the lobules that make up the liver
They are hexagonal in structure and are made from cells called hepatocytes, these are arranged irregularly as channels around a central vein
What are the 2 major vessels in which the liver gets its blood supply from?
The hepatic artery (carries oxygenated blood)
The hepatic portal vein (carries nutrients and drugs from the GI tract)
What are sinusoids?
The spaces in between the hepatocytes where the blood from the vessels can flow through, bathing the hepatocytes in nutrient and drug rich blood
Why do hepatocytes contain high levels of metabolic enzymes?
So they can process the nutrients from the blood (glucose and fatty acids from the diet), as well as metabolising drugs
What vessel does blood drain out from the liver?
The hepatic vein
What is the benefit of the liver containing high amounts of glucokinase vs hexokinase?
Glucokinase has a greater capacity of phosphorylating glucose and therefore can deal better with increased glucose intake
What is the role of gluconeogenesis and ketogenesis and where are they found?
Glucogenesis makes glucose from amino acids
Ketogenesis makes ketones from fatty acids
They are both found in the liver
What are the 2 pathways that fatty acid can follow in the liver?
Esterification to triacylglycerols and packaged as VLDL or beta-oxidation to glucose
Where does esterification and beta-oxidation of fatty acids happen in the liver?
Esterification = in the cytosol Beta-oxidation = in the mitochondria
What enzyme in the liver is responsible for controlling how much fatty acid is esterified or oxidised?
CAT I: Carnitine acyl transferase
When is CAT I active and when is it inactive?
Active when in the starved state and glucose is required
Inactive in the fed state when there is plenty of glucose
What are the Islets of Langerhans?
The are found in the pancreas and secrete insulin when in the fed state as glucose passes through the intestines and glucagon in the starved state
What is the role of insulin?
To convert glucose into glycogen and triacylglycerol
What happens to glucose in the fed state in adipose tissue?
It is converted into fatty acids and triacylglycerols
What happens to glucose in the fed state in the liver?
It is converted into glycogen. It is also converted into fatty acids and triacylglycerols and secreted as VLDL which is then transported to adipose tissue
What happens to glucose in the fed state in muscle?
It is converted into glycogen
What happens to the secretion of insulin and glucagon in the starved state?
Insulin decreases and glucagon increases
What does glucagon stimulate in the liver?
The break down of glycogen to glucose which is then released into the blood