Protein is not just found in the meat you eat and needed to maintain healthy muscle. The liver also produces blood proteins. Protein is used in your blood to transport smaller particles, including calcium, hormones and some medications. Without...
Recently, scientists have discovered a new form of cataracts that can be linked to the development of amyloid plaques in the brain. Cataracts are formed by abnormal proteins on the lens, which is responsible for focusing light on the retina. These...
Amyloid proteins are abnormal types of protein. They are produced by cells in the bone marrow and when they build up and get deposited in tissues or organs, amyloidosis takes place. The parts of the body most affected by this disease include the...
The National Cancer Institute reports that multiple myeloma is diagnosed in approximately 20,000 people each year. Multiple myeloma is a type of cancer that begins in a type of white blood cell called a plasma cell. According to the National...
The rare group of conditions collectively called amyloidosis occur when abnormal proteins called amyloids accumulate in the tissues and organs. There are several types of amyloid proteins, and they can build up in various organs, often targeting...
Multiple myeloma is a type of cancer that affects the plasma cells found in the blood. These cells are formed in the bone marrow. As the disease process continues, the patient becomes at-risk for several complications. Most of these complications...
Multiple myeloma is a type of cancer that begins in a type of white blood cell called plasma cells; these cells begin reproducing rapidly and interfering with the production of normal blood cells, according to the University of Texas MD Anderson...
Plasma cells refer to cells that produce antibodies (immunoglobulins), proteins that are necessary to defend the body against infection. According to the Merck Manual, a compilation of medical information for medical professionals, plasma cells...
Lymphoma is a type of cancer that begins in the lymph nodes, where foreign particle are filtered and where white blood cells divide and mature. When these white cells develop certain changes in their genes, they can begin to divide too quickly and...
Amyloidosis is a rare and potentially deadly condition in which abnormal proteins build up in your organs, which can lead to organ failure. These abnormal proteins, called amyloid proteins, do not come from an excess of protein in the diet, but...
Multiple myeloma will strike over 20,000 people in the United States each year, the Leukemia and Lymphatic Society reported in 2010. Multiple myeloma, a type of blood cell cancer, develops in plasma cells, a type of white blood cell. Plasma cells,...
Multiple myeloma is a cancer in the bone marrow of the plasma cells--white blood cells that normally fight infection. The disease causes excessive production of these cells, leading to several complications. The complications vary among patients,...
According to "Archives of Neurology," in 2000 there were 4.5 million people with Alzheimer's disease, or AD, in the United States. As America's population ages, the prevalence of this common form of dementia is expected to triple by 2050. Without...
Alzheimer's disease, AD, is the most common type of dementia. It involves a gradual onset of memory impairment and other types of cognitive dysfunction. AD occurs when plaques made of abnormal protein accumulate in the brain. It often occurs in...
The kidneys secrete hormones, reabsorb substances, convert vitamin D to its active form, keep the right amount of bases and acids in the blood and remove wastes. One waste product that must be excreted is urea. Ammonia, from the metabolism of...
Excess protein deposits in the body are usually described as amyloidosis. This condition is characterized by accumulation of abnormal proteins called amyloids in the body's tissues or organs, including the heart, spleen, kidneys, nervous system...
Uterine fibroids are common benign, or non-cancerous, tumors that can occur in menstruating women. Approximately one in five women develops fibroids during their childbearing years, according to Medline Plus. Fibroids usually affect women over age...
Multiple myeloma is a cancer of plasma cells involving primarily the bone marrow, which releases a distinctive protein into the blood used for diagnosis. The disease usually occurs in older adults, with approximately 16,000 new cases diagnosed...
Antibodies are proteins that are made by cells of the immune system to fight bacteria and infection. A very high amount of this protein in the bloodstream, however, can be caused by multiple myeloma. This is a cancer that can also cause anemia...
According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, dementia is common in older people. Elderly dementia--symptoms of cognitive and behavioral impairment--can be caused by some medications, health conditions such as lung...
The contents of your food can have a dramatic effect on your health. Gout is a condition which can be aggravated by ingesting foods with a high-purine content. Although limiting your purine intake will not cure gout, it can help alleviate your...
Some bone cancers occur in the form of cancerous cells derived from the bones. There are a wide variety of these kinds of tumors. They include tumors of the bone tissue (osteosarcoma), tumors of the cartilage (chondrosarcoma), tumors of the...
Pseudoexfoliative glaucoma is a condition in which deposits of protein build up in the eyes. This can make it difficult for a liquid known as the aqueous humor to drain from the eyes, ultimately leading to increased eye pressure and nerve damage....
Dementia is a group of brain disorders that affect memory, language, behavior and judgment. MedlinePlus notes that the risk of dementia increases with age and that it is rarely diagnosed in people younger than age 60. Many cases of dementia, such...
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) is a devastating diagnosis, with death normally following in a matter of months. The exact cause is unknown but abnormal proteins in the brain are known to be involved. Both the mind and the body are ultimately...
Protein is an essential component of the body's growth and repair system. It is also required for immunity from disease. A normal protein level is approximately 6.0 to 8.3 gm/dL, according to MedlinePlus. While dietary protein contributes to the...
Multiple myeloma is a type of cancer that affects the plasma cells (a type of white blood cell) in bone marrow. Normal plasma cells make antibodies to fight off infection; however, in those with multiple myeloma, plasma cells form tumors in bone...
Multiple myeloma is considered to be a hematological cancer. This means that it originates in the blood system. Myeloma cells are abnormal plasma cells that develop instead of the normal plasma cells. These cells do not die as normal blood cells...
Stem cells are a promising, yet controversial, treatment option for many degenerative diseases. Stem cell research includes Alzheimer's disease and dementia; however, as of September 2009, the research has not been entirely conclusive. Studies...
Brittle bone disease, or osteogenesis imperfecta, is a genetic bone disorder wherein sufferers lack proper proteins to make healthy bones. Learn about brittle bone disease, including treatments, in this video.
