Metabolism Flashcards
What is metabolism?
The process that derives energy and raw materials from food stuffs to use to support REPAIR, GROWTH and ACTIVITY of the tissues of the body.
What is catabolic metabolism?
- The break down of molecules to release energy.
- Reducing power
What’s anabolic metabolism?
The use of energy to make molecules for growth and repair.
What does exergonic mean?
Energy released > Energy used
What does endergonic mean?
Energy used > Energy released
What are the key components of the diet?
- Protein
- Carbohydrates
- Fat
- Water
- Fibre
- Vitamins and minerals
For the key components of the diet name what their roles are:
(Protein, carb, water, fibre, fat, nutrients and minerals)
- energy and amino acids
- energy
- hydration
- GI function
- energy and fatty acids
- essential
Name the essential nutrients and minerals.
Minerals: Na, K, Ca, Mg, Cu
Nutrients:
- A,K,D,E (fat soluble)
- B and C (water soluble)
The nutrients in the blood are taken to tissues for what uses?
- Utilisation
- Storage
- inter-conversion
What materials do cells produce for the blood?
Clotting proteins
Waste products to excrete (e.g. Respiration)
Why may some products vary in concentration in the blood?
- Variable usage depending on situation.
- Supply from nutrients vary
What are the nutrients and waste products in the blood plasma?
- Glucose
- Amino acids
- Fatty acids
- Triacylglycerides
- Cholesterol
What are the factors affecting basal metabolic rate?
Surface area Gender Environmental temp Body temp (e.g. Fever) Endocrine (thyroid/reproductive hormones)
Calculate the BMI of a 90kg person of height 6’1”
And what does it mean?
Mass/height^2
90/1.825^2 = 27
Which means he is overweight (27>25)
What are the co-morbidities associated with obesity?
- Type 2 diabetes
- hypertension
- Cancer
- Gall bladder disease
- CVS disease
What are the potential problems with malnutrition?
- Nutrient deficiency diseases
- Low energy intake damage
- Low protein levels: changes osmotic pressure of the blood.
How does a low protein intake effect the cardiovascular system?
Low protein means there’s a higher water potential inside the capillaries, so less water is absorbed back so oedemas form due to the excess water content of the interstitial fluid.
What is homeostasis?
The maintenance of the internal environment.
If homeostasis were to fail what would it lead to?
Disease
What are the products of catabolic metabolism?
- Organic precursors (e.g. Acetyl CoA)
- Building block materials
- Biosynthetic reducing power (NADPH)
- Energy for cell function
Energy is produced in metabolism, what is it used for?
- Biosynthetic work (synthesis of cellular components)
- Transport system across membranes
- Specialised functions.
When a reaction has a delta G value < 0 it is said to be what 2 things?
Exergonic and spontaneous.
So the opposite is true…
Name the 3 main H carriers.
NAD
NADP
FAD
What are the carriers of reducing power for:
1) ATP synthesis
2) Biosynthesis
1) NADH
2) NADPH
Show the reaction of ATP hydrolysis and why does this provide a large amount of energy?
ATP —> ADP + Pi
The hydrolysis is a highly exergonic reaction
Why is ATP only a carrier of energy?
- It is only stable enough to carry energy for a few seconds.
- It is stable in the absence of specific catalysts.
Name the four high energy signals and what do they do?
- ATP
- NADH
- NADPH
- FAD2H
- They activate the anabolic metabolism pathway.
When cells need a store of energy but still need it immediately, what is used? Outline the reaction.
Creatine phosphate (phosphocreatine)
Creatine kinase Creatine ----------> Phosphocreatine ATP --> ADP
How can Creatine kinase be a marker of MI?
Cells undergoing MI release more CK into the blood. So after a few hours the blood concentration of CK is high.
What is the general formula for carbohydrates?
And what types of groups are there?
(CH2O)n
Keto and aldehyde group.
Which type of isomer is present when it’s a natural protein?
D Isomer
Name two properties of carbohydrates.
- Hydrophilic
- Partially oxidised (needs less oxygen to oxidise)
What is the significance of an enzyme with a beta bond?
It can’t be broken down by natural digestive enzymes.
Apart from lactose
Name 3 polysaccharides linked by glycosidic bonds:
- Glycogen (Highly branched)
- Cellulose (Can’t be digested as beta 1-4 bond can’t be broken)
- Starch (Mix of amylose and amylopectin)
Name the two methods of absorption of monosaccharides.
- Facilitated diffusion using transport proteins
- Active transport
What does the blood glucose concentration need to be maintained as?
~5mMol
Name 4 tissues that absolutely require glucose.
RBC, kidney medulla, WBC and lens of the eye.
What is glycolysis’ 3 main functions?
- Oxidise glucose/NADP production
- Synthesis of ATP
- C6 and C3 intermediates
Name 3 features of glycolysis.
- Exergonic
- Oxidative
- Anaerobic
Write the equation for glycolysis.
Glucose + 2Pi + 2ADP + 2NAD
—–>
2Pyruvate + 2ATP + 2NADH + 2H+ + 2H2O
Why is glycolysis made up of multiple, smaller steps?
- Efficient energy conversion
- Easier
- Versatility
- Controllable
What role does glycerol phosphate have in glycolysis?
- Triacylglyceride and phospholipid biosynthesis.
How is glycolysis regulated?
- Allosterically (catalytic and regulatory sites)
- Covalently ((de)phosphorylation)
What would happen if NAD isn’t regenerated from NADH during glycolysis?
Product inhibition.
Normally NAD is regenerated in stage 4 of glycolysis, however RBC don’t have this stage, so how do they regenerate NAD, show the equation:
Pyruvate + H+ + NADH —–> NAD + lactate
Via the enzyme LDH: lactate dehydrogenase
What 3 things does lactate concentration in the blood depend on?
- Production
- Utilisation (liver, heart, muscle)
- Disposal (Kidneys)
When is lactate produced?
- Strenuous exercise
- Psychological situations (shock/congestive heart disease)
How is lactate important?
- Used in heart muscles
- Gluconeogenesis
- Impaired liver disease
What are the clinical conditions associated with fructose?
- Fructosuria (Fructose can’t go to F-1-P, absence of fructokinase)
No symptoms only high levels in urine - Fructose intolerance (No aldolase so accumulation of F-1-P)
Liver damage, treatment = remove fructose from diet.
How does cataracts occur from galactosaemia?
Glucose —–> Galactitol
NADPH —> NADP
- So NADPH levels are depleted, structural damage occurs as s-s bonds form, forming cataracts.
Treatment: remove lactose from the diet.
Outline the two stages of the Pentose phosphate pathway.
1) oxidative decarboxylation
G-6-P —-> 5C sugar + CO2
NADPH –> NADP
2) Rearrangement to glycolytic intermediates
3,5C sugars —-> glyceraldehyde + 2fructose.
What are the features of the PPP?
- No ATP production
- Irreversible: loss of CO2
- Controlled by NADPH/NADP ratio at G-6-P stage
What are the functions of the PPP?
- NADPH production
(Prevent S-S bonds forming & reducing power) - Produces 5C sugars
(For nucleotides needed in nucleic acid)
How is G6PDH a problem?
Decrease is NADPH concentration so proteins are oxidised (s-s bonds form)
So the structure of the proteins change, causing their function to change.
So the PPP keeps proteins reduced.
Outline the reaction to form Acetyl CoA from Pyruvate.
And why is he reaction irreversible?
Pyruvate + CoA + NAD = Acetyl CoA + CO2 + NADH + H+
Loss of CO2
What is PDH sensitive to?
Vitamin B1 deficiencies.
What’s the TCA reaction equation and where does it occur?
- Acetyl CoA + 3NAD + FAD + 2H2O + Pi + GDP
- -> 2CO2 + 3NADH + FAD2H + GTP + CoA + 3H+
- Mitochondria
How is the TCA cycle regulated?
Activated by ADP
Inhibited by NADH
What is electron transport?
Electrons on NADH and FAD2H are transported by a series of carrier molecules to oxygen.
What is oxidative phosphorylation?
- Electrons transferred from NADH and FAD2H to molecular O2
- Energy released is used to generate a proton gradient and so PMF
- Energy from dissipation of PMF is used for the synthesis of ATP from ADP
What is PMF?
Proton motive force: the hydrogen concentration across the inner mitochondrial membrane.
What inhibits oxidative phosphorylation?
CO and CN, competitively with a high affinity
What’s an uncoupler?
- Increases the permeability of the inner mitochondrial membrane to protons.
- dissipates the H+ ions so the PMF reduces.
- No drive for ATP synthesis.
Brown adipose tissue is found where and to what use?
- Newborn infants, to maintain heat around the vital organs.
- Hibernating animals, to generate heat.
What’s the difference between oxidative and substrate phosphorylation?
Substrate: soluble enzymes, coupling by high energy hydrolysis, can work in limited O2.
Oxidative: needs membrane associated complexes, coupling by PMF, cannot work without O2.
What are the 4 classes of lipids?
- Ketone bodies
- Fatty acids
- Triglycerides
- Vitamins
Where does FA catabolism occur?
Mitochondria
How is FA synthesis activated?
What problem is there with that?
Linking to Acyl CoA
Acyl CoA molecule is with Acyl too large to cross membrane.
Name and outline the mechanism that allows for FA to cross inner mitochondrial membranes.
- Carnitine shuttle.
- Acyl CoA -> CoA which using CAT1 adds Acyl to carnitine.
- Acyl carnitine can pass through the membrane. The reverse occurs on the other side of the membrane using CAT2.
- Acyl group has passed through the membrane
- FA is resynthesied inside the membrane.
Is more energy derived from FA oxidation or glucose oxidation?
FA oxidation
What are the three types of ketone bodies?
- Acetoacetate
- Acetone
- B-Hydroxybuterate
Where are ketone bodies synthesised and under what chemical conditions?
- Liver
- Low insulin to glucagon ratio (starvation/diabetes)
Fill in:
Acetyl CoA —> X —> W
Insulin (fed state)
Acetly CoA —> X —-> Y
Z (starvation)
- X = HMG CoA
- W = Cholesterol
- Y = Ketone bodies
- Z = Glucagon
What is the blood glucose value?
5mM
Why is glycogen a good way of storing glucose?
- Large molecule, so efficient.
- Minimal osmotic effect
What are the 4 equations of glycogenesis?
- Glucose + ATP —> G-6-P + ADP
Hexokinase - G-6-P —–> G-1-P
Phosphoglucomutase - G-1-P + UTP + H2O —> UDP-Glucose + 2Pi
- Glycogen (n) + UDP-glucose —-> Glycogen (n+1) + UDP
Glycogen synthase
When does glycogenolysis occur?
- In the skeletal muscles in response to exercise
- In the liver in response to fasting or stress
Outline the 3 steps of glycogenolysis
Glycogen —> Glucose-1-P —-> Glucose-6-P —–> Glucose
1) . 2). 3). 1) Glycogen phosphorylase 2) Phosphoglucomutase 3) Glucose-6-Phosphatase
What is 1) Glycogen synthesis regulated by?
2) Glycogen degradation regulated by?
1) Glycogen synthase
2) Glycogen phosphorylase
In glycogen regulation what occurs when there’s an excess/diminished amount of glycogen?
- Excess = tissue damage
- Diminished = hypoglycaemia / poor exercise tolerance
What is Gluconeogenesis and where does it occur?
- The production of glucose from non-carbohydrate precursors.
- Liver & Kidney cortex
When does Gluconeogenesis occur?
- Starvation/fasting
- Prolonged exercise
- Stress
What enzymes stimulate/inhibit Gluconeogenesis?
Stimulate: High levels of PEPCK and fructose 1,3 bisphosphatase
Inhibit: Low levels of PEPCK and fructose 1,3 bisphosphatase
What is needed in FA synthesis?
Where does is occur?
- NADPH
- ATP
- Cytoplasm
How is Acetyl CoA transported into the cytoplasm?
Acetyl CoA + oxaloacetate = citrate
Citrate can be transported into the cytoplasm
Citrate -> Acetyl CoA + oxaloacetate
What is the overall equation for lipogenesis?
Acetyl CoA + 7ATP + 14NADPH + 6H+ ——-> Triglyceride + 7ADP + 14NADP + 6H2O + 8CoA + 7Pi
For lipogenesis what is the multi-enzyme complex used?
Fatty acid synthase
What is the difference between FA oxidation and FA synthesis?
Oxidation: mitochondrial, glucagon and adrenaline stimulate, insulin inhibits.
Synthesis: Cytoplasm, glucagon and adrenaline inhibits, insulin stimulates.
What regulates lipolysis?
- Adrenaline and glucagon activates
- Insulin inhibits
When would a positive N balance occur?
- Pregnancy
- Growth
When would a negative N balance occur?
- Tissue wasting disease
- Starvation
What are the 8 essential amino acids?
- Lysine
- Isoleucine
- Leucine
- Threonine
- Valine
- Tryptophan
- Phenylalanine
- Methionine
Why is -NH2 removed from amino acids?
And by what two processes?
- Potentially toxic
- Transamination
- Deamination
What are the 2 possible reactions for Transamination?
Alpha ketogluterate + amino acid —> glutamate + Keto acid
Oxaloacetate + amino acid —> aspartate + Keto acid
What are ALT and AST and what do they do?
ALT alanine amino transferase (alanine -> glutamate)
AST aspartate amino transferase (glutamate -> aspartate)
How is the NH3 group disposed of?
- Urea
- Glutamine
Name 6 characteristics of urea
- Non toxic
- Inert
- Excreted mainly in urine
- High N content
- Very water soluble
- Useful osmotic effect in kidney tubules
Where does the urea cycle occur and how many enzymes does it involve?
- Liver
- 5
What do partial losses in urea related enzymes lead to?
- Hyperammonaemia
What clinical signs are there for urea defects?
- Vomiting
- Lethargy
- Irritability
- Mental retardation
- Coma
- Seizures
How are urea defects treated?
- Low protein diet
- amino acids replaced by Keto acids
In which 3 ways is ammonia toxic to cells?
- pH effects.
- Reduces TCA cycle, so less energy supply to cells.
- Neurotransmitter synthesis in CNS.
What is the normal level of NH4+?
20-40 micro moles.
How is NH3 used during detoxification?
- Synthesising Glutamine
- Then excreted directly or converted to urea.
How is Glutamine synthesised?
- Glutamate + ammonia –> Glutamine (ATP required)
What is phenylketonuria?
- Autosomal recessive genetic disorder
- disfunction of phenylalanine hydroxylase prevents Tyrosine production and so Noradrenaline/adrenaline/dopamine
- So more phenylpyruvate produced instead.
- So excess in urine.
What is homocystinuria?
- Autosomal recessive
- Fibrillin-1’s protein structure affected
- No/reduced CBS, so less cystathionine and so cystine produced.
- More methionine with a B12 catalyst produced.
- Elevated plasma homocysteine associated with CV disease
What and how are Arginine and Cystine affected by gas signalling molecules?
- Arginine: NO, vasodilator, neurotransmitter, inflammatory mediator
- Cysteine: H2S, ^,^,^.
What are the 5 different classes of lipids?
- Triacylglycerides
- Fatty acids
- Cholesterol
- Cholesterol esters
- Phospholipids
What role does cholesterol have in the body?
- Major component of membranes
- Precursors to steroid hormones and bile acids
How is cholesterol made?
- Synthesised in the liver
- Found in diet
What are phospholipids and what role do they play?
- Diacylglycerol with a phosphate group.
- Major component of membrane
- Phospholipid bilayer.
How are lipids transported in the bloodstream?
- Proteins: albumin/lipoprotein particles
- Micelles (hydrophilic outer layer with apoproteins and a hydrophobic centre)
Why do different classes of lipids have to have specific apoproteins?
- Function: Activation of enzymes, recognition of cell surface receptors
What are the different classes of lipoprotein particles?
- Chylomicrons
- VLDL
- LDL
- HDL
How are Chylomicrons formed and where?
- By enterocytes lining the intestine.
What are the roles of chylomicrons?
- Reformation of triacylglycerides from food with specific apoproteins
- Carries lipids from the diet to tissues (especially adipose)
When are chylomicrons found?
- 4-6 hours after a meal
What does VLDL, LDL and HDL stand for?
- VLDL: Very low density lipoproteins
- LDL : Low density lipoproteins
- HDL: High density lipoproteins
Where are VLDLs produced and what is its role?
- Liver
- Storage of energy by combining apoproteins and triacylglycerides.
- Transport lipids from the liver to tissues when needed.