MEH session 1 Flashcards
What is metabolism?
Metabolism is the set of processes which derive energy and raw materials from food stuffs and use them to support repair, growth and activity of the tissues of the body to sustain life.
How are waste products lost from the blood?
Via the kidneys/lungs
Are catabolic pathways oxidative or reductive?
Oxidative
Are anabolic pathways oxidative or reductive?
Reductive
What is catabolism?
Catabolism describes the metabolic pathways in which the overall reaction is the breakdown of larger molecules into smaller ones.
What is the relationship between anabolism and catabolism?
Energy (ATP) released in catabolism (breaking down of large molecules into smaller intermediary metabolites) is used in anabolism (synthesis of large important cellular components from intermediary metabolites).
What are the roles of the products of catabolic metabolism? (4)
- Building block materials (sugars, amino acids, fatty acids)
– dynamic state of cell components (turnover)
– cell growth and division – repair - Organic precursors (Acetyl CoA)
– allow for inter-conversion of building block material - Biosynthetic reducing power (NADH, NADPH)
- Energy for cell function (Adenosine triphosphate, ATP)
Why do cells need a continuous supply of energy? (3)
1. Biosynthetic work - anabolism Synthesis of cellular components 2. Transport work - membranes Maintenance of ionic gradients Nutrient uptake 3. Specialised functions Mechanical work-muscle contraction Electrical work-impulse conduction Osmotic work-kidneys
What are the components of your daily energy expenditure?
Basal metabolic rate
Voluntary physical activity - muscular work
Diet induced thermogenesis - ingestion, digestion, absorption
What happens when energy intake exceeds energy required?
Excess energy is stored:
Growth - synthesis of new tissue
Production of adipose tissue
What happens if energy requirements exceed energy intake?
Tissue is lost
What is the difference between exergonic and endergonic reactions?
Exergonic reactions release energy, reaction is spontaneous. Reactants are at a higher energy level than products.
Delta G < 0
Endergonic reactions require energy, reaction is not spontaneous. Reactions are at a lower energy level than products.
Delta G > 0
What prevents spontaneous reactions from continuously occurring in the cell?
Activation energy is required to from the transition state. Enzymes facilitate the formation of this highly reactive transition state.
What is the reducing power of carriers used for?
ATP production (NADH + H+) Biosynthesis (NADPH)
What proof is there to show that there is a constant cycle between oxidative and reductive processes?
Concentration of oxidised and reduced carriers is constant.
What in our diet contains H-carrier molecules?
Vitamin B
How many hydrogen atoms are required to reduce a H-carrier?
H- carriers are converted to their reduced form by adding two hydrogen atoms. One hydrogen atom joins to the carrier by a covalent bond and one is dissociated in solution.
Why is ADP only a carrier and not a store?
Limited concentration of ADP. Only enough for a few seconds.
How does ATP allow the flow of energy to be controlled?
It is stable in the absence of specific catalysts
What is our ATP turnover?
Turnover body weight in ATP each day
How do low and high energy signals affect our cells?
High ATP, NADH, NADPH, FAD2H concentrations activate anabolic pathways
Low ATP concentration, high ADP, AMP, NAD+, NADP+, FAD concentrations, activate catabolic pathways
What reaction is catalysed by creatine kinase? Where does this occur?
Creatine + ATP —> phosphocreatine + ADP
Can go on opposite direction
In cells that need to increase metabolic activity very quickly eg. Muscle
Creatine kinase concentration in the blood elevated in all types of damaged muscle. How can we differentiate whether skeletal muscle or cardiac muscle has been damaged when using creatine kinase as a marker for a myocardial infarction?
Creatine kinase is made up of two subunits. One subunit is coded for by M gene and the other by B gene
Different isoform combinations are found in different tissues.
One isoform combination is specific to heart muscle so ensure that isoform combination is compatible with the heart
Appears in blood after a few hours
What is creatinine and how is it formed?
Normal spontaneous breakdown of phosphocreatine and creatine produces this waste product at a constant rate (unless muscle is wasting) which is excreted via the kidneys in the urine.