25. METABOLIC DISORDERS OF AMINO ACIDS
Introduction Amino acids are the fundamental building blocks of proteins. Out of the twenty amino acids, nine are essential — meaning they cannot be produced by the human body and…
24. JAUNDICE
Introduction: Jaundice (from the French word Jaune, meaning yellow) is a clinical condition marked by the yellow discoloration of the skin and the white part of the eyes (sclera). It…
23. PORPHYRIAS
Introduction: Porphyrias are a group of inherited or acquired metabolic disorders caused by defects in the enzymes involved in heme (porphyrin) biosynthesis. These enzyme deficiencies lead to the accumulation and…
22. HYPERBILIRUBINEMIA
Introduction: Hyperbilirubinemia refers to an abnormally high level of bilirubin in the blood. Bilirubin is a yellow pigment that forms as a result of the breakdown of red blood cells…
21. PRODUCTION OF BILE PIGMENTS
Introduction: Bile pigments are colored compounds formed during the breakdown of hemoglobin from aged red blood cells. They are excreted through bile and consist mainly of two pigments: Red blood…
20. UREA CYCLE AND ITS METABOLIC DISORDERS
Introduction to Urea Cycle: The urea cycle is a biochemical pathway that converts toxic ammonia into a non-toxic, water-soluble compound known as urea. Since even small amounts of ammonia are…
19. AMINO ACID CATABOLISM
Introduction: In the adult human body, only about 20% of the amino acids released from protein breakdown are catabolized to produce energy, while the remaining 80% are reused for the…