RBC Protoporphyrins Flashcards Preview

Clinical Chemistry Laboratory 2 > RBC Protoporphyrins > Flashcards

Flashcards in RBC Protoporphyrins Deck (26)
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0
Q

Normal value of protoporphyrin

A

4.0-52.0 mcg/dL (7.2-93.6 nmol/L)

1
Q

EP levels due to lead toxicity

A

Markedly elevated: >/= 300 mcg/dL (>/= 5.4 mmol/L)

2
Q

Calculation

A

mcg/100 mL RBC = {[2(A405) - (A380 + A430)] x 1.28 x mL HCl x 100}/Hematocrit x mL of whole blood

3
Q

Grade of all chemicals

A

Reagent grade

4
Q

Reagents

A
1 Acetone
2 Ethyl acetate
3 Formic acid (98-100%)
4 Diethyl ether
5 1.5 N HCl
6 Solvent mixtures
a. Acetone: Ethyl acetate mixture
b. Formic acid: Diethyl ether mixture
5
Q

Extracted in 1.5 N HCl

A

Free erythrocyte protoporphyrin

6
Q

Procedure

A

1 Pipette 2 mL of whole blood into a 15 mL test tube
2 Add 2 mL of acetone:ethyl mixture and stir the contents of the tube vigorously with a glass rod for about 1 minute
3 Add 4 mL of formic acid:ether mixture and again stir the contents of the tube vigorously for 1 minute
4 Centrifuge the tube at full speed for about 4 minutes in order for the precipitated protein to be solidly packed
5 Decant the supernatant fluid into 15 mL graduated centrifuge tube. To the remaining precipitate, add a second 4 mL quantity of formic acid:ether mixture. Centrifuge and collect the supernatant. Combine this supernatant fluid with that from the first extraction
6 Add 2 mL of 1.5 N HCl to the combined supernatant fluid
7 Stopper the tube closely with a friction-fitting stopper and then shake vigorously for about 30 seconds. Record the volume of the lower layer of HCl
8 Transfer the HCl layer to absorbance of solution against a 1:5 N HCl blank at 380, 407, and 430 nm

6
Q

Extracts the protoporphyrins

A

Formic acid:diethyl ether mixture

8
Q

Specimen

A

Whole blood

9
Q

Principle

A

Whole blood is mixed with acetone:ethyl acetate mixture to lyse the red blood cells and free the protoporphyrin from other organic substances. Formic acid:diethyl ether mixture is then added to extract the protoporphyrins. The free erythrocyte protoporphyrin is finally extracted in 1.5 N HCl and read spectrophotometrically at 380, 405, and 430 nm.

10
Q

Functions of acetone:ethyl acetate mixture

A

1 Lyses the red blood cells

2 Frees the protoporphyrin from other organic substances

11
Q

Porphyrins of clinical significance

A

1 Uroporphyrins
2 Coproporphyrins
3 Protoporphyrins

12
Q

Screening tests for porphyrins or their precursors

A

First step in the complete laboratory investigation of any disorder of porphyrin metabolism

13
Q

What are porphyrins?

A

Metabolic intermediates in the biosynthetic pathway with heme as their principal product

14
Q

Basis of appropriate quantitative measurements

A

Preliminary extraction and differentiation by solvent partition followed by spectrophotometric or fluorometric measurements

15
Q

Function of Soret band

A

Serves as the basis for the screening test of porphyrins in biological specimens

16
Q

T or F. Few porphyrins are found in nature

A

T

17
Q

EP levels associated with iron deficiency

A

50-249 mcg/dL (0.9-4.48 mmol/L)

18
Q

Lead toxicity manifestation

A

Increased erythrocyte protoporphyrin

19
Q

Wavelengths

A

380 nm
405 nm
430 nm

19
Q

Soret band

A

Characteristic red fluorescence exhibited by all porphyrins when irradiated with light at a wavelength near 400 nm

20
Q

Disorders with increased erythrocyte protoporphyrin

A

Iron deficiency anemia

Eythropoietic porphyrias

21
Q

Normal value of erythrocyte coproporphyrin

A

0.5-2.0 mcg/dL (0.75-3.00 nmol/L)

23
Q

General procedure

A

Extraction of porphyrins into an organic solvent system (e.g. Acetic acid/ethyl acetate), followed by re-extraction into HCl

24
Q

Exhibited by all porphyrins

A

Characteristic red fluorescence

25
Q

What are porphyrias?

A

A group of inherited and acquired disorder characterized by aberrations in the activities of specific enzymes of the heme biosynthetic pathway