Macromolecules and Cellular Metabolism Flashcards
Dehydration is a common clinical presentation in veterinary medicine. This is important to correct because what molecule if the most numerous molecule in your patient’s cell?
water
Which of the following nucleic acids is more prone to mistakes during replication?
RNA
Adenosine triphosphate, the main source of energy used in cells, is which type of compound?
nucleotide
Heat stroke can be life-threatening can be a life-threatening condition because heat can denature bodily proteins. Which type of protein structure is not affected by denaturation?
primary structure
What kind of hormone is insulin?
protein-based insulin
You are working in an emergency clinic when a Great Dane dog presents with gastric dilation and volvulus (a twisted stomach). You run blood tests which reveal an abnormally high lactate level. Which type of pathway is likely to be increased in your patient’s tissues?
Anaerobic respiration
What is the most abundant plasma protein?
albumin
The Reid Park Zoo in Tucson has received a large donation of hay to be used as a food source for the animals. The giraffes, elephants, and antelopes will be able to eat this grass while the lions and panthers will not. Which polysaccharide is present in hay that cannot be utilized as an energy source by carnivores?
cellulose
the main function of triglycerides is
energy storage
the downside of triglycerides is that they are hydrophobic and need to be transported in the blood by another molecule. What molecules transport triglycerides in the blood?
lipoproteins
what functions do compound lipids perform?
insulation of axons, transport of other lipids, membrane components
Fat-soluble vitamins are which type of lipid
derived
what is an example of a steroid hormone
testosterone
which of the following is an important precursor to steroid hormones?
cholesterol
What is the storage form of glucose in animal tissues?
glycogen
what is the main role of glycoproteins in cells
signaling
which of the following animals would be able to use cellulose as an energy source
horse, cow
what roles does oxygen perform in aerobic respiration
it serves as the molecule that accepts the final electron in the electron transport chain, where it is then converted to water
the measurement of lactate is a blood test done in veterinary practice. What would a high result suggest?
the cells are using a lot of anerobic metabolism
You are an intern at an emergency hospital, working the overnight shift. You are presented with ‘Claude’, a 4-year-old male neutered domestic crossbreed cat. He is presenting because during one of his regular nighttime play sessions with his owners, he collapsed on the floor, panting. This is very unusual for him. He seems to have regained his strength but is still panting. Panting is abnormal for a cat, which leads you to believe he may have disease in his lungs or heart. Chest radiographs are conducted and reveal an increased opacity in his lung fields, suggestive of fluid in the lungs (‘pulmonary edema’). An ultrasound of his heart reveals that it is abnormally enlarged. Claude’s owners have been on a health kick and have also been preparing Claude’s food for him, made from ingredients they buy at the supermarket. You suspect he has heart disease due to a deficiency in a specific nutrient. Which amino acid is essential for cats and might be deficient in Claude’s case?
taurine
Imagine you are a formulating a diet that will be fed to a herd of beef cows when they are housed in the barn during winter. You know that you need to provide carbohydrates in their diet. Which of the following polysaccharides, present in fibrous foods like hay, can be utilized by ruminants (like cows) but not carnivores (like cats)?
cellulose
Briefly explain how cellulose is able to be digested by cows:
Cows and other hindgut fermenters/ruminants have microbial enzymes in their digestive tract that digest cellulose
