L13 - Metabolic processes of the renal cortex and medulla Flashcards
(41 cards)
Renal fuel metabolism varies with:
- Normal fed state
- Metabolic acidosis
- Fasting
N-compounds in urine (with daily amt)
(unit is g/day)
1) Urea (12-24)
2) Creatinine (1.0-1.8)
3) Uric Acid (0.2-0.8)
4) NH4+ (0.2-1.0; as high as 10 in acidosis)
Glutaminase
Renal enzyme that catalyzes:
Glutamine + H2O –> Glutamate + NH4+

Glutamine synthetase
Renal enzyme that catalyse:
Glutamate + NH4+ –> Glutamine
(ATP converted to ADP + Pi at this process)

Synthesis & Degradation of Glutamine

Glutamate dehydrogenase
Renal enzyme that catalyses:
Glutamate –> α-ketoglutarate + NH4+
Renal source of NH4+ production from glutamine
The series of deamination of glutamine:
Glutamine to glutamate (glutaminase)
Glutamate to α-ketoglutarate (glutamate dehydrogenase)
Factor affecting Renal uptake of glutamine
Depends on the need to excrete H+ to maintain blood pH.
[note: glutamine is small enough to enter glomerular filtrate]

Carbonic anhydrase
Renal enzyme, catalyze conversion of H2O and CO2 to H+ and HCO3-
H+ excreted via urine
HCO3- secreted back to blood
(control of blood pH)

Renal glutamine metabolism overview

Major fuel sources for the kidney
Lactate (normal state)
Glutamine (acidosis)
Fatty acids (fasting state)
Glucose

Renal fuel source in fed state
Lactate (45%; transported to blood-rich cortical cells for gluconeogenesis)
Glucose (25%)
Glutamate (15%)
Fatty Acid (15%)
Renal fuel source in fasting
Fatty acid (60%)
Glutamate (25%)
Lactate (15%)
Glucose (0%)
Renal fuel source in acidosis
Glutamate (40%)
Fatty acid, glucose, lactate (@ 20%)
Glutamine as renal fuel molecules
Glutamine is used as fuel in the normal fed state, and
to a greater extent during fasting and metabolic acidosis.
Source of glucose utilised in renal medulla
Glucose utilised in the renal medulla is produced in the renal cortex
Nephric blood supply overview
Blood supply to cortical (short-looped) nephrons is greater than that to the juxtamedullary/medullary (long-looped) nephrons
Glutamine metabolism in the kidney
Mitochondria:
glutamine -> glutamate -> α-ketogutarate -> [enters TCA cycle] -> Oxaloacetic acid (OAA) ->
Cytoplasm:
-> OAA -> PEP -> converted to glucose via gluconeogenesis, or pyruvate

Translocation of electrons (in form of OAA) from mitochondria to cytoplasm
Malate-aspartate shuttle:
- OAA converted to aspartate, aspartate move out of mitochondria, aspartate reconvert to OAA
- OAA converted to malate (with NADH to NAD+), malate move out of mitochondria, malate convert to OAA (NAD+ to NADH)

amino acid metabolism errors and urine
Materials excreted in urine can reflect on accumulated amino acid metabolites; therefore Inborn errors of amino acid metabolism will be manifestations in the urine
Phenylalaine metabolism errors overview

Pheylalaine Degradation
1) Main pathway:
Phenylalaine [phenylalaine hydroxylase> Tyrosine [tyrosine aminotransferase> Homogentisate [homogenisate oxidase> Fumarylacetoacetate [fumarylacetoactate hydrolase> fumarate and acetoacetate
2) Alternate pathway
Phenylalaine [transamination> Phenylpyruvate -> Phenylacetate (musty odour) and Phenyllactate

Tyrosine metabolism errors overview

Tyrosine degradation
Tyrosine [tyrosine aminotransferase> Homogentisate [homogenisate oxidase> Fumarylacetoacetate [fumarylacetoactate hydrolase> fumarate and acetoacetate










