Red blood cells contain hemoglobin, the protein responsible for carrying oxygen to your cells and transporting some of the carbon dioxide away from them. Lysing, or complete rupture, of red blood cells results in release of hemoglobin into the...
Antibiotics can kill bacteria by interfering with their normal intracellular functions (RNA, DNA and protein synthesis) or by weakening the bacteria's cellular structure, causing the cell to break open or lyse. Unlike animal cells, bacterial...
Staphylococcus aureus is a gram positive bacteria that causes variety of infections including skin infections, pneumonia, sepsis and endocarditis. While 25 to 30 percent of healthy adults have staphylococci bacteria localized on the skin and...
Tonsillitis is a medical condition in which the tonsils become inflamed due to a bacterial or viral infection. According to Mayoclinic.com, the most common bacterial agent in tonsillitis is Streptococcus pyogenes, or group A streptococcus....
During lung cancer, cells in the lungs grow uncontrollably, which may form tumors. Although cigarette smoking is the proximate cause of lung cancer, people who have never smoked can develop lung cancer. Some Ayurvedic herbs possess cancer-fighting...
A sinus infection, or sinusitis, is characterized by the inflammation of the sinuses and nasal passages. Sinus infections are caused by bacterial, viral or fungal pathogens that infiltrate, damage and inflame the sinus lining, causing it to...
You should learn cardiopulmonary resuscitation, or CPR, through a licensed organization, such as the American Heart Association. It can be performed if a person's heart and breathing stop; the goal is to restart the heart or to keep the body alive...
The National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research estimates that 500,000 Americans experience their first cold sore every year. For most, the first episode is also the last. A smaller number---between 20 and 40 percent--suffer recurrent...
Epstein-Barr virus, or EBV, is a common human virus that causes infectious mononucleosis. It is a member of the herpes family of viruses, and most people are infected with the virus sometime in their lives. Merck.com states that in the United...
Alkaline phosphatase, also known as basic phosphatase, is an enzyme found in most tissues of the body. This enzyme is relevant to health care practitioners because it is frequently measured to help make a diagnosis, since it is more highly...
Heparin is an anticoagulant medication prescribed for people with blood clots or at risk for blood clots. According to MayoClinic.com, heparin decreases the clotting ability of the blood and helps to prevent harmful clots from forming in the blood...
The bones support and protect the body as well as facilitate movement and store minerals. The inside of some bones contain bone marrow, which makes blood cells. Many types of diseases damage the bones. The diagnosis of bone disease includes a...
As a muscle that expends energy, the heart requires its own supply of blood, just like the tissues to which it pumps blood. Blood carries oxygen, which is used to make ATP in cells. The ATP is an energy source required for muscular contraction. If...
A bladder infection occurs when bacteria such as Escherichia coli enter the urethra and travel to the bladder causing an inflammation of the inner lining of the urinary bladder, notes the Hershey Medical Center Website. In addition to bacterial...
Staphylococci is group of gram-positive aerobic bacteria that are localized on the skin and nasal passages of about 20 to 30 percent of healthy adults. Staphylococci bacteria becomes pathogenic when it has systemic access to our organs and...
Sickle cell anemia is an inherited blood disorder that is characterized by red blood cells (erythrocytes) that are sickle-shaped due to defective hemoglobin, the vital oxygen-carrying protein inside red blood cells. As outlined in the "Journal of...
Strep A and strep B, or Streptococcus pyogenes and Streptococcus agalactiae respectively, are closely related microorganisms with several characteristics in common. First, they both produce beta-hemolysis, which means the organisms contain...
A protein is a large molecule synthesized by smaller molecules called amino acids. The DNA in cells codes for the synthesis of proteins by telling the cells what order to put the amino acids in. Proteins have numerous functions. One is as an...
Cerebral ischemia, most commonly known as stroke, is the deficit supply of blood to the brain or part of the brain that is due to obstruction of the inflow of arterial blood. The most common cause of cerebral ischemia is atherosclerosis, a...
Ester C is a proprietary compound consisting of vitamin C and vitamin C metabolites to aid absorption. Ester C is an easily absorbable form of vitamin C, which is required to maintain blood vessels, connective tissues, muscles and bones while...
Western blots are a biochemical technique that allow scientists to measure the presence and quantity of specific proteins. As MoelcularStation.com explains, the first part of a Western blot is separating out the proteins from the sample. These...
A healthy diet is as important, if not more so, for people with multiple sclerosis than for the rest of the population. The foods you eat affects the way your body functions. At the time of publication, there is no cure for multiple sclerosis, or...