The Liver as a Storage Organ Flashcards
3 Molecules that the Liver stores
Ferritin
Vitamins
Blood clotting factors
What is ferritin?
Iron storage molecule
Structure of Ferritin?
How many iron atoms can it hold?
Large spherical protein, made up of 24 subunits
Can contain up to 5000 atoms of iron
What is the concentration of ferritin directly proportional to?
Total iron stores in the body
Ferritin excess disorder
hereditary haemochromatosis
3 non-iron overload disorders?
Liver disease
Malignancies
Tissue destruction
What can Ferritin deficiency lead to?
Anaemia
What does ferritin less than 20 micrograms/L and 12 micrograms/L indicate?
20- depletion
12- absence of stored iron
Which vitamins are Water soluble?
B an C
Which vitamins are Fat soluble?
A, D, E and K
What is the name for Vitamin A
Retinol
How do Humans absorb Vitamin A?
Directly through retinols in meat
Produce retinol from vegetables containing Carotenoids
Requirement of Vitamin A per day (Men and Woman)
0.6 mg/day men
0.7 mg/day women
What are the 4 functions of vitamin A?
Vision
Reproduction
Growth
Stabilisation of cellular membranes
What are two Vitamin A deficiency diseases?
Xeropthalmia and nightblindness
7 Acute symptoms of excess vitamin A
Abdominal pain
Nasuea
vomiting
severe headaches
Dizziness
Sluggishness
Irritability
What are 6 Symptoms of Chronic Vitamin C excess?
Joint and bone pain
Hair loss
Dryness of lips
Anorexia
Weight loss
Hepatomegaly (Liver enlargement)
3 functions of vitamin D
Increased intestinal absorption of calcium
Resorption and formation of bone
reduced renal excretion of calcium