Heme breakdown Flashcards
(13 cards)
What happens to red blood cells after 120 days?
They are damaged and phagocytosed by macrophages
What are the breakdown products of hemoglobin?
Globin –> amino acids; Heme –> biliverdin via heme oxygenase and O2
What happens to biliverdin?
It is reduced to bilirubin
How is bilirubin transported in blood?
Bound to serum albumin
What happens to bilirubin in the liver?
It is conjugated with glucurinic acid –> bilirubin diglucuronide –> excreted into bile –> intestine
What is jaundice?
A condition caused by elevated bilirubin levels, leading to yellowing skin and eyes
What are teh causes of jaundice?
Increased hemolysis
Defects in biirubin metabolism
Liver disease
Bile duct obstruction
What is hyperbilirubinemia?
High levels of lipophilic bilirubin, accumulating in muccous mebranse and skin
Is jaundice a disease?
No, it’s a symptom of an underlying condition
What causes infant jaundice?
Immature liver lacks UDP-glucuronyl transferase to conjugate bilirubin
Why is infant jaundice ptentially dangerous?
High bilirubin levles can cause brain damage
Hoe is infant jaundice treated?
Whith phototherapy, which helps convert bilirubin into a more water-soluble form
What should phototherapy not be confused with?
Photodynamic therapy (used in cancer treatments)
