Lectorial Clinical Notes

Question 1

How does the disruption of epithelial cells lead to asthma?

Answer 1

• Asthmatic patients have disrupted intracellular connections (cell-cell junctions)
• They are not completely flat with one one another, hence forming slight holes which permit the entrance of small materials, causing inflammation - caused by some environmental factors.
• Asthmatic patients have a loss of cilia, excess mucous from mucous cells, disrupted tight junctions, increased basal membrane thickening, and increased smooth muscle mass.
• All of these factors lead to enlarged airway tubes, and therefore, a difficulty in breathing.

Question 2

What happens to a patient with celiac disease?

Answer 2

• gluten disrupts cells in the digestive tract.
• gluten triggers the immune system to damage the microvilli of epithelial cells in the digestive tract.

Question 3

What is lysosomal storage disease?

Answer 3

• A disease where there is a dysfunction in lysosome enzymes so there is a build of waste within cells.
• This leads to deterioration within cells, tissues, and then organs.

Question 4

What is a possible treatment of lysosomal storage disease?

Answer 4

• Enzyme replacement therapy (ERT)
• Enzyme is synthesised in the lab and enters the child through an intravenous drip (IV)
• Enzymes enters cells through receptor-mediated endocytosis.
• Enzyme enters the lysosome and breaks down the molecules that cause this disease.

Question 5

What is a Myasthenia Gravis?

Answer 5

• A neuromuscular disease which affects neurotransmission at the neuromuscular junction (a point where a motor neuron reaches a skeletal muscle fibre)
• Antibodies secreted by b-cells, blocks acetylcholine receptors on the skeletal muscle fibre.
• Therefore, neurotransmitters cannot bind to these receptors are transmit the message.
• This means that the muscle won’t be innervated, so it won’t contract.

Question 6

What happens to spongy bone with a patient who has osteoporosis?

Answer 6

• Imbalance of bone formation and bone resorption
• increased osteoclast activity
• decreases bone density
• more holes are created in bone
• this is filled with bone marrow and fat cells instead, weakening the structure
• more susceptible to fractures

Question 7

Treatments for osteoporosis

Answer 7

• surgery
• adjusted diet/supplements
• hormone therapy

Question 8

What is osteomalacia and rickets?

Answer 8

• a disease which affects adults (osteomalacia) and children (rickets)
• involves bones bending, making them less strong due to the defective mineralisation of new bone

Question 9

What are some treatments for osteomalacia and rickets?

Answer 9

• increased vitamin D, calcium, and phosphate intake via diet or supplements
• monoclonal antibodies blocking FGF23 activity.