Clinical Enzymology Overview
116 Questions
4 Views

Choose a study mode

Play Quiz
Study Flashcards
Spaced Repetition
Chat to lesson

Podcast

Play an AI-generated podcast conversation about this lesson

Questions and Answers

What is the primary role of creatine kinase (CK)?

  • To increase glucose levels in muscle cells
  • To facilitate the reaction of creatine phosphate to creatine (correct)
  • To catalyze the conversion of pyruvate to lactate
  • To break down creatine into energy
  • In the context of Duchenne muscular dystrophy, what is a common finding in affected patients?

  • Normal CK plasma activities
  • Stable CK levels in asymptomatic carriers
  • Decreased levels of CK in skeletal muscle
  • Elevated plasma activities of CK (correct)
  • Which of the following situations is least likely to cause elevated CK levels?

  • Regular rest and recovery (correct)
  • Surgical procedures
  • Marathon running
  • Drug-induced muscle damage
  • Why are enzymes measured in a clinical setting?

    <p>They can be measured easily and economically compared to other proteins</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the presence of a small amount of enzyme in the bloodstream indicate?

    <p>Great sensitivity in detecting tissue damage</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What are isoenzymes primarily classified by?

    <p>The reactions they catalyze</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which enzyme is more liver-specific?

    <p>ALT</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following best describes the tissue-specific nature of isoenzymes?

    <p>Some genes are expressed only in muscle tissue.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a characteristic method for detecting isoenzymes?

    <p>Electrophoresis</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a possible cause of cholestasis?

    <p>Gallstones</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How do different isoenzymes relate to their quaternary structure?

    <p>They can form from different combinations of subunits.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which test measures liver synthetic function?

    <p>Prothrombin time</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which enzyme is commonly elevated in bone disease?

    <p>Alkaline phosphatase</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the presence of a specific isoenzyme in the plasma indicate?

    <p>Damage to a specific tissue.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What might an increased level of γ-GT indicate?

    <p>Cholestatic disease</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In terms of CK isoenzymes, which type is specifically good for assessing cardiac damage?

    <p>CK-MB</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What property of isoenzymes may differ under varying reaction conditions?

    <p>Differential activity towards substrates</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which is NOT a consequence of liver disease?

    <p>Decreased mean cell volume (MCV)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does a high level of alkaline phosphatase indicate?

    <p>Cholestasis</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which isoenzyme has the highest activity in the skeletal muscle according to the CK activity table?

    <p>CK-MM</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which condition is least likely to cause increased AST levels?

    <p>Controlled diabetes</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which technique is NOT commonly used in clinical chemistry?

    <p>Ultrasonic detection</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is one of the principal uses of biochemical tests in clinical settings?

    <p>Screening for subclinical disease</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the purpose of the monochromator in a spectrophotometer?

    <p>To filter light to a specific wavelength</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which enzyme measurements are particularly useful for confirming myocardial infarction?

    <p>Troponin T (cTnT) and Troponin I (cTnI)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In the Beer Lambert Law, what does 'C' represent?

    <p>Concentration of the solution</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What occurs as a result of Duchenne muscular dystrophy in muscle cells?

    <p>Growth and rupture of myocytes</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the maximum absorbance wavelength for NADH?

    <p>340 nm</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why are most analytes used in diagnosis found in much higher concentrations within cells?

    <p>Cellular malfunction can release these substances into plasma</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which statement about immunoassays is true?

    <p>They are increasingly being developed with modern technology.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary principle behind thin-layer chromatography (TLC)?

    <p>Solute migration based on polarity and affinity for stationary phase</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of information does biochemical testing provide regarding disease progression?

    <p>Information regarding likely outcome</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the term 'black box' technology refer to in immunoassays?

    <p>New technologies that lack transparency in their processes</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of these is NOT a key principle of enzyme measurement?

    <p>Utilizing advanced imaging technology</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which component of a spectrophotometer is responsible for detecting absorbance?

    <p>Photodetector</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary benefit of monitoring biochemical markers during treatment?

    <p>To assess the natural history of the patient’s condition</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In the context of biochemical tests, what does 'monitoring' primarily refer to?

    <p>Tracking responses to treatment over time</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a significant consequence of Duchenne muscular dystrophy related to creatine kinase levels?

    <p>Plasma CK levels may exceed the reference range by more than 10 times.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following scenarios is most likely to lead to increased levels of creatine kinase in the blood?

    <p>Marathon running or excessive physical exercise.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why are enzyme measurements indicated over other proteins in clinical settings?

    <p>Enzymes are easier to measure technically and economically.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What role do enzymes like creatine kinase play in the body?

    <p>They catalyze reactions without being consumed.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary factor that allows detection of creatine kinase in the bloodstream?

    <p>Routine turnover and leakage from muscle cells.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a primary purpose of biochemical tests in patient management?

    <p>To assess treatment effectiveness</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How is the diagnosis of myocardial infarction often confirmed?

    <p>By elevated levels of specific biomarkers</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What happens to cellular contents during myocyte rupture in Duchenne muscular dystrophy?

    <p>They leak into the bloodstream</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which principle underlies the measurement of enzymes in clinical biochemistry?

    <p>High concentrations of analytes must be present in cells</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What role does monitoring biochemical tests play in disease management?

    <p>It provides insights on disease progression</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following best describes the use of screening in clinical chemistry?

    <p>To detect subclinical diseases</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a common use of serum cholesterol levels in clinical settings?

    <p>To assess the risk of coronary artery disease</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In the context of clinical biochemistry, what is considered as 'prognosis'?

    <p>Providing information about the likely outcome of a disease</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does a total creatine kinase (CK) assay specifically measure?

    <p>All CK activity present in a plasma specimen</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What effect does a myocardial infarction (MI) typically have on plasma enzyme activities?

    <p>Increase in tissue-specific enzymes related to the heart</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In enzyme-coupled assays, what is monitored during the assay involving glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase?

    <p>The absorbance change at 340 nm</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is an infarct?

    <p>A localized area of dead tissue from blood supply obstruction</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which molecule is produced as a byproduct of creatine kinase activity?

    <p>NADPH</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What role does hexokinase play in the metabolic pathway involving glucose-6-phosphate?

    <p>It phosphorylates glucose to form glucose-6-phosphate</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What can cause elevated levels of total creatine kinase other than myocardial infarction?

    <p>Injury to muscle tissue</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How is glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity monitored in an assay?

    <p>By observing fluorescence changes from NADPH production</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What distinguishes isoenzymes from one another?

    <p>They have different molecular structures but catalyze the same reaction</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which method is primarily used to detect active isoenzymes?

    <p>Chromogenic substrate detection</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How are different isoenzymes formed?

    <p>From different combinations of subunits</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following statements is true regarding the activity of isoenzymes?

    <p>Isoenzymes can exhibit different enzymatic activities under varying conditions.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the presence of a specific isoenzyme in the plasma indicate?

    <p>Potential damage to a specific tissue or organ</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In the context of CK isoenzymes, which is primarily used for assessing damage to skeletal muscle?

    <p>CK-MM</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which isoenzyme has the highest activity percentage in the brain according to the CK activity table?

    <p>CK-BB</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a defining feature of the quaternary structure of isoenzymes?

    <p>Different isoenzymes may be dimers or tetramers formed from unique combinations of subunits.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which method uses the appearance of absorbance at 340 nm to track an enzymatic reaction?

    <p>NAD reduction</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the 'monochromator' in a spectrophotometer do?

    <p>Separates different wavelengths of light</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following techniques utilizes a polar stationary phase for separating substances?

    <p>Liquid Chromatography</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In the Beer Lambert Law, what does the variable 'L' represent?

    <p>Length of the path through the medium</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which option best describes the application of immunoassays in clinical chemistry?

    <p>Highly varied and automated with advanced detection methods</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a primary challenge associated with the technology used in modern immunoassays?

    <p>High prevalence of 'black box' technologies with limited transparency</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which photon technique is specifically known for its ability to measure turbidity in a sample?

    <p>Turbidimetry</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following best describes the characteristics of solute A in thin-layer chromatography (TLC)?

    <p>More polar than solute B</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the total creatine kinase assay specifically measure in a plasma specimen?

    <p>All CK activity present including isoenzymes</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In which scenario is the measurement of NADPH particularly important?

    <p>Monitoring hexokinase activity in glucose metabolism</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary consequence of myocardial infarction as described?

    <p>Obstruction of blood supply leading to organ death</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the term 'infarct' refer to in a clinical setting?

    <p>A small localized area of dead tissue</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which enzyme's activity is monitored through absorbance change at 340 nm as part of a clinical assay?

    <p>Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following correctly describes a characteristic of creatine kinase isoenzymes?

    <p>They exist in multiple forms that vary by tissue type.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the role of hexokinase in relation to other enzymes in the assay process?

    <p>It catalyzes the conversion of glucose to glucose-6-phosphate.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which component is essential for monitoring the enzymatic reaction involving glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase?

    <p>NADP</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary function of biochemical tests in monitoring treatment response?

    <p>To assess changes in disease markers over time</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In the context of enzyme measurements, what is the significance of high enzyme concentrations within cells compared to plasma?

    <p>It provides a basis for diagnosing certain diseases</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What process characterizes the biochemical changes in muscle cells due to Duchenne muscular dystrophy?

    <p>Cyclical growth and rupture of myocytes</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary purpose of screening biochemical tests in clinical settings?

    <p>To detect subclinical disease manifestations</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which statement best describes the relationship between enzymes and disease monitoring?

    <p>Fluctuations in enzyme levels can reflect disease progression and treatment response.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which analytical principle is fundamental to measuring enzyme activity in clinical settings?

    <p>Absorbance measurements are indicative of reaction velocity changes</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What role do biomarkers play in managing myocardial infarction?

    <p>They help confirm or reject clinical diagnoses of the event.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does patient management utilize biochemical investigations in disease treatment?

    <p>To document the treatment outcome and guide future decisions</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which enzyme is primarily associated with pancreatic diseases?

    <p>Amylase</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which enzyme is now more commonly used for prostate cancer detection compared to acid phosphatase?

    <p>Prostate-specific antigen (PSA)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What aspect does NOT affect the plasma levels of enzymes in clinical usage?

    <p>Degree of enzyme degradation</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In terms of liver function, what role does alkaline phosphatase primarily indicate?

    <p>Bone and hepatobiliary disease</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which condition is primarily associated with elevated levels of both AST and ALT?

    <p>Chronic liver failure</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What underlying factor is most crucial in interpreting enzyme tests for liver disease?

    <p>Specific localization of the enzyme</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which enzyme is particularly relevant for diagnosing myocardial infarction?

    <p>Creatine kinase</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which enzyme indicates damage to cardiomyocytes and skeletal muscle but has a different tissue distribution?

    <p>Creatine kinase</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following best describes the function of liver in detoxification?

    <p>Removal of toxins, drugs, and byproducts from circulation</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In liver disease, which pathological change does NOT typically occur?

    <p>Increased liver cell proliferation</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How do isoenzymes demonstrate differing activities in a biological context?

    <p>By varying their activity levels based on reaction conditions and substrates</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which property is least likely to vary among different isoenzymes?

    <p>Active site conformation</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the significance of the presence of specific isoenzymes in plasma following tissue damage?

    <p>They indicate damage to specific tissues and organ systems</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following combinations correctly represents the quaternary structure of an enzyme?

    <p>Lactate Dehydrogenase - tetramer</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which isoenzyme is predominantly expressed in prostate tissue according to CK activity levels?

    <p>CK3 (MM)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which technique is most effective for differentiating isoenzymes based on their activity?

    <p>Densitometry</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which statement about the distribution of isoenzymes in various tissues is true?

    <p>Different tissues can express different percentages of the same isoenzyme</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a critical factor impacting the detection of isoenzymes through electrophoresis?

    <p>The molecular weight of each isoenzyme</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary purpose of the photodetector in a spectrophotometer?

    <p>To convert light into an electrical signal</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In thin-layer chromatography (TLC), how does the polarity of solutes affect their migration on the strip?

    <p>Higher polarity solutes have a greater affinity for the stationary phase</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following techniques is NOT standard in clinical chemistry?

    <p>Nuclear magnetic resonance</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following components of a spectrophotometer is specifically responsible for isolating individual wavelengths of light?

    <p>Monochromator</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the Beer Lambert Law primarily illustrate in analytical measurements?

    <p>The correlation between solute concentration and absorbance</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a significant challenge in the field of immunoassays as described?

    <p>High competition leading to unvalidated methods</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How is the absorbance of NADH tracked during enzyme-catalyzed oxidation?

    <p>By observing changes at 340 nm</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following statements about the components of chromatographic systems is true?

    <p>Solutes are separated based on their varying affinities to the phases</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Clinical Enzymology Overview

    • Biochemical investigations are essential for diagnosing and monitoring disease progression.
    • Enzymes act as catalysts, accelerating chemical reactions without being consumed.
    • Enzymes are classified based on the reactions they catalyze, with the suffix "-ase".
    • Isoenzymes are different molecular forms of an enzyme that catalyze the same reaction, often with different tissue distribution.
    • Measuring enzyme levels in blood can indicate tissue damage and disease processes.

    Enzyme Measurement Principles

    • Enzyme activity is measured by monitoring the rate of conversion of a substrate to a product.
    • Coupled reactions are often used to amplify signal detection and enhance sensitivity.
    • Isoenzymes can be separated using electrophoresis, differential activity, or other properties like heat stability.

    Myocardial Infarction Biomarkers

    • Creatine Kinase (CK) is a key enzyme in energy production found in skeletal and cardiac muscle.
    • CK levels rise in the blood following myocardial infarction (MI) due to damage to heart muscle.
    • CK-MB isoenzyme is specific to heart muscle and its elevation confirms MI.

    Liver Disease Investigations

    • Liver function tests assess damage, synthetic function, conjugation capacity, and cholestasis.
    • Aspartate transaminase (AST) and alanine transaminase (ALT) are enzymes released into the blood from damaged liver cells.
    • ALT is more specific for liver damage than AST.
    • Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) levels are elevated in cholestasis, indicating a blockage in bile flow.

    Common Clinical Chemistry Techniques

    • Spectrophotometry is a widely used technique that measures light absorption by analytes.
    • Immunoassays utilize antibodies to detect and quantify specific analytes in biological samples.
    • Chromatography separates and analyzes different components in a sample based on their affinity for a stationary phase.

    Techniques: Spectrophotometry, Immunoassays and Chromatography

    • Spectrophotometry relies on the Beer-Lambert Law, relating light absorption to analyte concentration, which is essential for quantitative analysis.
    • Immunoassays offer high sensitivity and specificity by leveraging the binding affinity of antibodies to target molecules.
    • Chromatography, particularly High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), enables separation and quantification of different compounds in complex mixtures.

    Patient Management and Clinical Biochemistry

    • Diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring of disease are all essential aspects of patient management.
    • Clinical biochemistry plays a crucial role in all these areas with the help of biochemical investigations.

    Use of Clinical Chemistry

    • Clinical chemistry is used for screening, diagnosis, monitoring, and prognosis of diseases.

    Principle Uses of Biochemical Tests

    • Screening: Detecting sub-clinical disease before symptoms appear (e.g., Phenylketonuria (PKU)).
    • Diagnosis: Confirming or rejecting clinical diagnoses (e.g., cardiac troponin T and I (cTnT and cTnI) for myocardial infarction).
    • Monitoring: Tracking the natural history of a disease or response to treatment (e.g., therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) or glucose levels in diabetes).
    • Prognosis: Providing information about the likely outcome of the disease (e.g., serum cholesterol levels in coronary artery disease (CAD)).

    Cellular Damage

    • When cells are damaged, their contents, including enzymes, leak out into the bloodstream.
    • Measuring enzyme levels in blood can be a sensitive indicator of tissue damage.

    Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD)

    • DMD involves progressive muscle degeneration due to the breakdown of myocytes.
    • The leakage of myocyte contents, including creatine kinase (CK), into the blood results in elevated plasma CK activity, often 10 times higher than normal.

    Creatine Kinase (CK)

    • CK is an enzyme involved in energy production, found in high concentrations in skeletal and cardiac muscle.
    • CK activity is usually present in blood due to normal skeletal muscle turnover.

    CK and DMD

    • Elevated CK levels are a hallmark of DMD and can be used for diagnosis.
    • Carrier females of the DMD gene often have elevated CK levels.

    Other Causes of Muscle Damage

    • Besides DMD, several other factors can cause muscle damage, leading to elevated CK levels:
      • Excessive exercise (marathon runners, army recruits)
      • Surgery
      • Skeletal muscle trauma
      • Drug-induced damage (e.g., cocaine)

    General Principles of Enzyme Measurement

    • Enzymes act as catalysts, increasing the rate of chemical reactions without being consumed.
    • Measuring enzyme activity can be achieved through coupled reactions that involve a sequence of reactions, where the product of one reaction serves as the substrate for the next.
    • The enzyme's activity can be measured by monitoring a change in absorbance, fluorescence, or other detectable properties.

    Creatine Kinase Assay

    • The total CK assay measures all CK activity present in a sample.
    • The coupled reaction involves a series of steps:
      • CK converts creatine phosphate to creatine, releasing ADP.
      • ADP is used in the phosphorylation of glucose by hexokinase.
      • The production of NADPH is monitored by the absorbance change at 340 nm.

    Myocardial Infarction (MI)

    • MI is the death of heart tissue due to blockage of a coronary artery caused by a blood clot.
    • The resulting infarct is an area of dead tissue.

    Plasma Enzyme Activity Following MI

    • Enzyme levels in plasma change following MI.
    • CK activity rises rapidly and peaks within 12-24 hours after infarction.
    • CK activity can remain elevated for 2-3 days.

    Total Creatine Kinase and Isoenzymes

    • Total CK activity reflects the overall CK activity in a sample, including all CK isoenzymes.
    • Isoenzymes are different molecular forms of the same enzyme with similar functionality but differ in their structure and tissue specificity.

    CK Isoenzymes

    • CK isoenzymes are classified based on their tissue distribution.
    • CK-MM is primarily found in skeletal muscle.
    • CK-MB is predominantly found in heart muscle.

    Electrophoresis of CK Isoenzymes

    • Electrophoresis can separate CK isoenzymes based on their charge and size.
    • Immunological methods can detect both active and inactive CK forms.

    CK Isoenzyme Changes Following MI

    • Following MI, an increase in CK-MB levels indicates heart muscle damage.
    • CK-MM levels are mainly elevated after skeletal muscle damage.

    Commonly Used Biochemical Techniques

    • Spectrophotometry is a widely used technique to measure the absorbance of solutions at specific wavelengths.
    • Other photometric techniques like turbidimetry, fluorometry, and chemiluminescence are also employed.
    • Immunoassays use antibodies to detect and quantify specific analytes.
    • Chromatographic techniques, like thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and liquid chromatography (LC), separate and identify different analytes based on their physical and chemical properties.

    Reduction in NAD

    • NADH production during an enzyme-catalyzed reaction can be monitored by measuring the absorbance change at 340 nm.

    Immunoassays

    • Immunoassays are widely used in clinical chemistry due to their high sensitivity and specificity, particularly with modern technologies.

    Chromatography

    • Chromatography methods, especially TLC and HPLC, separate and identify analytes based on their different affinities for the stationary and mobile phases.
    • They are versatile for separating and quantifying various compounds, including metabolites, drugs, and proteins.

    Patient Management and Clinical Biochemistry

    • Biochemical investigations can be used for diagnosis, monitoring disease progression and treatment
    • Clinical biochemistry plays a vital role in patient management

    Clinical Chemistry

    • Biochemical tests are used for screening, diagnosis, monitoring and prognosis
    • Most analytes (proteins, enzymes or other molecules) used in diagnosis depend on the high concentration of that substance within the cell relative to that in plasma.

    Myocardial Infarction

    • Infarction is death of part or the whole of an organ that occurs when the artery carrying its blood supply is obstructed by a blood clot.
    • Infarct: small localised area of dead tissue thus produced.
    • Creatine kinase (CK) levels are measured in plasma following a suspected myocardial infarction.
    • Measuring the total CK activity in a plasma specimen allows for assessment of skeletal muscle damage and cardiac damage

    Enzymes and Isoenzymes

    • Isoenzymes are different molecules that catalyze the same reaction
    • Isoenzymes have tissue-specific expression
    • Isoenzymes have cellular localization within specific organelles
    • Different isoenzymes can be formed from different combinations of subunits
    • Isoenzymes display different electrophoretic mobility
    • Isoenzymes have varying activity under different reaction conditions

    Creatine Kinase (CK)

    • CK is a dimer
    • CK isoenzymes have tissue-specific expression
    • CK-MB isoenzyme is a good indicator of cardiac damage
    • CK-MM isoenzyme is a good indicator of skeletal muscle damage

    Plasma Enzyme Activities

    • Plasma enzyme levels depend on the:
      • rate of release from damaged cells
      • rate of damage to cells
      • extent of cell damage
      • rate of cell proliferation (malignancy)
      • degree of induction of enzyme synthesis
      • rate of clearance from circulation

    Clinically Important Enzymes

    • Acid phosphatase is found in the prostate.
    • Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) is found in the liver, skeletal muscle, and cardiac muscle.
    • Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) is found in the liver, bone, intestinal mucosa, placenta and kidney.
    • Amylase is found in the salivary glands and pancreas.
    • Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) is found in the liver, skeletal muscle, cardiac muscle, kidney and erythrocytes.
    • Cholinesterase is found in the liver.
    • Creatine kinase (CK) is found in skeletal muscle, cardiac muscle, smooth muscle and brain.
    • Glutamate dehydrogenase is found in the liver.
    • γ-glutamyltransferase (GGT) is found in the liver and kidney.
    • Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) is found in the heart, liver, skeletal muscle, erythrocytes, platelets.
    • Trypsin(ogen) is found in the pancreas.

    Selection of Enzyme Tests

    • Selection of an enzyme test is based on: -* Distribution of enzyme among various tissues. -* Tissue/plasma concentration gradient -* Intracellular localisation -* Convenience of enzyme assay -* Knowledge of plasma enzyme characteristics, such as: -- Half-life in blood -- Mode of clearance

    Liver Enzymes

    • Important plasma enzymes used to assess hepatic function are:
      • AST (Aspartate aminotransferase)
      • ALT (Alanine aminotransferase)
      • ALP (Alkaline phosphatase)
      • GGT (γ-glutamyltransferase)

    Liver Function

    • The liver has many functions, including:
      • Metabolism
      • Synthesis
      • Excretion and detoxification

    Common Clinical Chemistry Techniques

    • Spectrophotometry is frequently used for clinical chemistry assays.
    • Turbidimetry, fluorometry, and chemiluminescence are other photometric techniques.
    • Immunoassays are widely used.
    • Chromatography is used for separation and analysis.

    Spectrophotometry

    • Spectrophotometry: measuring the absorbance of light by a solution
    • Components of a spectrophotometer include:
      • exciter lamp
      • entrance slit
      • monochromator
      • exit slit
      • cuvette
      • photodetector
      • LED display
    • Beer Lambert Law: Absorbance =  x C x L

    Immunoassays

    • Immunoassays utilize antibodies to detect and quantify analytes in a sample
    • Immunoassays are very sensitive and specific
    • Immunoassay technologies are becoming increasingly sophisticated and complex

    Chromatography

    • Chromatography is a technique used to separate and analyze mixtures
    • Chromatography separates components based on their affinity to the stationary phase
    • Thin-layer chromatography (TLC) is a simple form of chromatography
    • High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) is a more sophisticated form of chromatography

    Background Reading

    • Textbook recommendations for further study are provided.

    Studying That Suits You

    Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.

    Quiz Team

    Description

    This quiz explores the fundamentals of clinical enzymology, focusing on enzyme functions, classifications, and measurement principles. You will learn about key biomarkers like Creatine Kinase and their significance in diagnosing conditions such as myocardial infarction. Test your understanding of how enzyme activity relates to disease monitoring.

    More Like This

    Mastering Clinical Enzymology
    5 questions
    Enzyme Properties and Clinical Enzymology
    32 questions
    Clinical Enzymology Quiz
    39 questions

    Clinical Enzymology Quiz

    RobustSagacity3016 avatar
    RobustSagacity3016
    Use Quizgecko on...
    Browser
    Browser