NEET MDS Lessons
Biochemistry
Biotin
Biotin helps release energy from carbohydrates and aids in the metabolism of fats, proteins and carbohydrates from food.
RDA The Adequate Intake (AI) for Biotin is 30 mcg/day for adult males and females
Biotin Deficiency Biotin deficiency is uncommon under normal circumstances, but symptoms include fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, depression, muscle pains, heart abnormalities and anemia.
LIPIDS
The lipids are a heterogeneous group of compounds, including fats, oils, steroids, waxes, and related compounds, which are related more by their physical than by their chemical properties.
Lipids are non-polar (hydrophobic) compounds, soluble in organic solvents.
Most membrane lipids are amphipathic, having a non-polar end and a polar end
Lipids are important in biological systems because they form the cell membrane, a mechanical barrier that divides a cell from the external environment.
Lipids also provide energy for life and several essential vitamins are lipids.
Lipids can be divided in two major classes, nonsaponifiable lipids and saponifiable lipids.
A nonsaponifiable lipid cannot be broken up into smaller molecules by hydrolysis, which includes triglycerides, waxes, phospholipids, and sphingolipids.
A saponifiable lipid contains one or more ester groups allowing it to undergo hydrolysis in the presence of an acid, base, or enzyme.
Nonsaponifiable lipids include steroids, prostaglandins, and terpenes
Nonpolar lipids, such as triglycerides, are used for energy storage and fuel.
Polar lipids, which can form a barrier with an external water environment, are used in membranes.
Polar lipids include glycerophospholipids and sphingolipids.
Fatty acids are important components of all of these lipids.
| Enzyme | Clinical Use | Indicates |
|---|---|---|
| ALT (SGPT) | Specific to liver injury | Hepatitis, liver necrosis |
| AST (SGOT) | Found in liver, heart, muscle | Liver disease, myocardial infarction |
| ALP | Bile duct obstruction, bone disease | Cholestasis, bone metastases |
| GGT | Alcoholic liver disease, biliary obstruction | Alcohol abuse, hepatobiliary disease |
| LDH | Non-specific, elevated in many conditions | Liver, cardiac, or hemolytic disorders |
HORMONES
A hormone is a chemical that acts as a messenger transmitting a signal from one cell to another. When it binds to another cell which is the target of the message, the hormone can alter several aspects of cell function, including cell growth, metabolism, or other function.
Hormones can be classified on three primary ways as following:
1. Autocrine: An autocrine hormone is one that acts on the same cell that released it.
2. Paracrine: A paracrine hormone is one that acts on cells which are nearby relative to the cell which released it. An example of paracrine hormones includes growth factors, which are proteins that stimulate cellular proliferation and differentiation.
3. Endocrine: An endocrine hormone is one that is released into the bloodstream by endocrine glands. The receptor cells are distant from the source. An example of an endocrine hormone is insulin, which is released by the pancreas into the bloodstream where it regulates glucose uptake by liver and muscle cells.
BIOLOGICAL ROLES OF LIPID
Lipids have the common property of being relatively insoluble in water and soluble in nonpolar solvents such as ether and chloroform. They are important dietary constituents not only because of their high energy value but also because of the fat-soluble vitamins and the essential fatty acids contained in the fat of natural foods
Nonpolar lipids act as electrical insulators, allowing rapid propagation of depolarization waves along myelinated nerves
Combinations of lipid and protein (lipoproteins) are important cellular constituents, occurring both in the cell membrane and in the mitochondria, and serving also as the means of transporting lipids in the blood.
| Amino Acid | Key Property | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Histidine | Buffering capacity at physiological pH | Its imidazole ring can gain or lose a proton near pH 7.4, making it crucial for acid-base balance in proteins like hemoglobin. |
| Leucine | Purely ketogenic | It’s metabolized into acetyl-CoA, which enters ketogenesis, not gluconeogenesis. |
| Aspartate (Asp) | Neurotransmitter role | Acts as an excitatory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system, similar to glutamate. |
| Asparagine (Asn) | it’s polar and uncharged at physiological pH | Actually a neutral polar amino acid. It’s derived from aspartate but lacks the acidic carboxyl group in its side chain. |
The acidic amino acids are Aspartate and Glutamate, both of which have carboxylate groups in their side chains.
STEROIDS
Steroids are the compounds containing a cyclic steroid nucleus (or ring) namely cyclopentanoperhydrophenanthrene (CPPP).It consists of a phenanthrene nucleus (rings A, B and C) to which a cyclopentane ring (D) is attached.
Steroids are the compounds containing a cyclic steroid nucleus (or ring) namely cyclopentanoperhydrophenanthrene (CPPP).It consists of a phenanthrene nucleus (rings A, B and C) to which a cyclopentane ring (D) is attached.
There are several steroids in the biological system. These include cholesterol, bile acids, vitamin D, sex hormones, adrenocortical hormones,sitosterols, cardiac glycosides and alkaloids