Metabolism

Question 1

What’s the difference between marasmus and kwashiorkor?

Answer 1

Marasmus is protein and carbohydrate and water deficiency whereas kwashiorkor is protein deficiency, but there’s still carbohydrate in the diet

Question 2

What enzymes regulate glycolysis?

Answer 2

Hexokinase/glucokinase regulate conversion of glucose into glucose 6 phosphate
Phosphofructokinase regulates conversion of fructose 6 phosphate into fructose 1,6 bisphosphate
Pyruvate kinase regulates conversion of phosphoenol pyruvate into pyruvate

Question 3

What is galactosaemia?

Answer 3

When there’s a defect in either the galactokinase or transferase enzyme needed for galactose metabolism so galactose and/or galactose 1 phosphate accumulate.
Galactose is converted into galactitol using NADPH and galactose 1 phosphate is toxic

Question 4

What is G6PD deficiency?

Answer 4

Deficiency in G6PD enzyme needed for pentose phosphate pathway which normally produces NADPH. heinz bodies form and there is haemolysis due to disulphide bridge formation

Question 5

How are irreversible steps of glycolysis bypassed for gluconeogenesis?

Answer 5

Step 10 bypassed by lactate converting to pyruvate which is converted to oxaloacetate by Pyruvate carboxylase. Oxaloacetate is then converted to phosphoenolpyruvate using PEPCK