Minerals

Question 1

What is the major mineral in the body?

Answer 1

Calcium

Question 2

How is calcium distributed in the bidy?

Answer 2

99% is found in the bones while 1% is free in plasma and cells.

Question 3

What are the extracellular functions of calcium?

Answer 3

Bone and tooth development and function

Hemostasis/coagulation cofactor

Question 4

What are the intracellular functions of calcium?

Answer 4

Nervous system communication
Muscle contraction
Cellular function like cell division and glycoprotein metabolism
Hormone secretion

Question 5

What are the three physiochemical states of circulating calcium and how are they distributed?

Answer 5

Free (50%)
Bound (40%)
Complexed (10%)

Question 6

Calcium is sometimes complexed with

Answer 6

Small anions like citrate, lactate, phosphate, bicarbonate

Question 7

How is free calcium regulated?

Answer 7

By interaction of PTH and vitamin D

Question 8

How does PTH increase calcium?

Answer 8

Enhancing calcium resorption from bone, activation of vitamin D, reabsorption by renal tubules

Question 9

What allows cakcium to cross intestinal walls?

Answer 9

Vitamin D

Question 10

What enzyme turns inactive vitamin D into active hormone calcitriol?

Answer 10

Hydroxylase

Question 11

What are the symptoms of hypocalcemia?

Answer 11

Nerve excitability: tetany, spasms, cramps
Muscle weakness (heart arrhythmia)
Coagulation problems
Osteoporosis/osteomalacia

Question 12

What causes hypocalcemia?

Answer 12

Hypoparathyroidism
Decreased Vitamin D synthesis or uptake
Decreased calcium intake

Question 13

What are the symptoms of hypercalcemia?

Answer 13

Polydipsia
Polyuria
Hypertension
Kidney stones

Question 14

What causes hypercalcemia?

Answer 14

Cancer of bone
Hyperparathyroidsm
Excess vitamin C

Question 15

How does pH affect free calcium levels?

Answer 15

Lower pH causes higher free calcium

Question 16

Why do smalles for measuring calcium need to be keepmcold or analyzed promptly?

Answer 16

Because cell metabolism decreases pH which will result into false readings.

Question 17

What methods are used to analyze calcium?

Answer 17

Ion-selective methods

Question 18

How is phosphate distributed?

Answer 18

Most phosphate is found complexed with calcium (inorganic)

Rest is found in cells (organic)

Question 19

Hiw are levels of calcium and phosphate in bone cancer?

Answer 19

Both levels rise

Question 20

What are the functions of the inorganic component of phosphate?

Answer 20

Bone support when complexed with calcium

Question 21

What are the functions of organic component of phosphate?

Answer 21

Phosphate is a component of ATP & GTP, important for cellular metabolism
Important component of the cell membrane and lipoprotein as phospholipid

Question 22

Hiw is phosphate regulated?

Answer 22

Bone resorption
PTH
Vitamin D

Question 23

What are the symptoms of hypophosphatemia?

Answer 23

Muscle weakness and depletion
Softening of bones
Respiratory difficulties (lack of atp)
Decreased cardiac output (lack of atp)
Rhabdomyolysis

Question 24

What is rhabdomyolysis?

Answer 24

Destruction if muscle duebto really low phosphate causing ATP depletion

Question 25

What causes hypophophatemai?

Answer 25

Intracellular shift (insulin overuse, poorly managed diabetes)
Primary hyperparathyroidism
Deceased vitamin D

Question 26

What symptoms are seen in hyperphosphatemia?

Answer 26

Muscle cramps
Numbness
Tingling 
Tetany
Siezures

Question 27

What causes hyperphosphatemia?

Answer 27

Renal failure, reduced GFR
Increased phosphate intake/absorption (laxatives, vitamin d toxicity)
Mass cell lysis (chemo)

Question 28

How is magnesium distributed in the body?

Answer 28

55% in the bone, muscle, cells, and free in plasma.

Question 29

What are the fun tions of magnesium?

Answer 29

Bone support

Enzyme actuvator especially for CK