Gaucher's disease is a genetic disorder in which the body lacks an enzyme known as glucocerebrosidase. Without this enzyme, the body cannot metabolize a fatty substance called glucocerebroside, and it collects in various organs. This lipid-storage...
Your total serum cholesterol count is a measurement of your LDL cholesterol, known as the bad kind of cholesterol, levels of HDL, the good cholesterol, triglycerides and another lipid called Lp(a). Of particular concern is the LDL count since this...
There are numerous diseases that affect the human spleen. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health, the spleen is an organ located in the upper left quadrant of the abdomen, and it is an important...
According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, lipids are fat-like substances that are important parts of the membranes found within and between each cell and in the myelin sheath that coats and protects the nerves. They...
Abnormal accumulation of fat in liver cells causes a condition called fatty liver or steatosis. Fatty liver is important because it can trigger an inflammatory reaction, which may cause liver scarring and possibly cirrhosis. Steatohepatitis is the...
The lysosome is an intracellular organelle (a small compartment within almost each cell) that is necessary for breaking down large molecules (chemical, atomic structure or protein). Molecules need to be broken down either because they were...
It is important for the cells to be able to break down carbohydrates, because this provides the energy the cells need for most of their reactions. Thus, the breakdown of glucose and glycogen, the storage form of glucose, is vital. There are...
