jaundice

Question 1

bilirubin is a breakdown product of ?

Answer 1

haem

Question 2

heam is broken down into ?

Answer 2

iron and bilirubin

Question 3

what happens to the iron which is broken down from haem?

Answer 3

reabsorbed into the bone

Question 4

every haem molecule will produce one molecule of

Answer 4

haemoglobin

Question 5

where does the production of bilirubin from harm mainly occur?

Answer 5

in the liver and spleen

Question 6

name for the cells which produce bilirubin from haem ?

Answer 6

collectively known as the reticuloendothelial system (macrophages in spleen and kupffer cells in liver)

Question 7

enzyme that breaks down haem?

Answer 7

haem oxygenase

Question 8

haem oxygenase removes iron and carbon monoxide, leaving?

Answer 8

bilvederin

Question 9

which enzyme converts bilvederin to bilirubin?

Answer 9

bilvederin reductase

Question 10

how does bilirubin travel in the blood?

Answer 10

bound to albumin

Question 11

why is bilirubin not found in urine?

Answer 11

it is bound to albumin so doesn’t enter urine

Question 12

bilirubin travels in blood bound to albumin, then enters hepatocyte. what happens to it in hepatocyte?

Answer 12

it is conjugated

Question 13

what happens in situations where liver cannot excrete conjugated bilirubin?

Answer 13

kidneys take over

Question 14

what gives faeces its colour

Answer 14

stercobilogens

Question 15

how does conjugating bilirubin make it easier to excrete?

Answer 15

it makes it water soluble

Question 16

a cause of pre hepatic jaundice?

Answer 16

haemolytic

Question 17

how much bilirubin is the liver able to excrete before it is overwhelmed?

Answer 17

6x normal bilirubin

Question 18

why do you get jaundice as a result of liver damage?

Answer 18

liver unable to excrete and/or conjugate bilirubin

Question 19

main causes of hepatocellular jaundice?

Answer 19

cirrhosis and hepatitis

Question 20

why do newborn babies appear jaundiced after birth?

Answer 20

they have a reduced ability to remove bilirubin

Question 21

what happens to urine if left to stand in a patient with haemolytic jaundice?

Answer 21

it will be colourless but turn dark if left to stand

Question 22

levels of conjugated and unconjugated bilirubin in hepatocellular jaundice?

Answer 22

increased levels of both. some hepatocytes working and some aren’t

Question 23

get lots of what kind of bilirubin in obstructive jaundice?

Answer 23

conjugated (hepatocytes still working just can’t get rid of it )

Question 24

how is urobilogen formed?

Answer 24

bilirubin converted into urobilogen in the gut

Question 25

what happens to bilirubin in the colon?

Answer 25

converted to urobilogens and stercobilogens

Question 26

what happens to urobilogens?

Answer 26

absorbed by the kidney and liver