Many different genetic conditions can affect the skeletal system. Mutations can occur in genes that influence the development of collagen, fibroblast growth factor receptors, lysosomal enzymes and other substances in the body. Some of these...
Proteolytic enzymes are produced produced throughout the body in various tissues and cells. All proteolytic enzymes break apart proteins. The biologic functions of proteolytic enzymes vary depending on the type of protein they break apart and the...
Just as the human body has individual organs the carry out specific functions and work together, the body's cells have parts dedicated to specific functions. These parts are called organelles, which means "little organs." Many of the organelles...
Krabbe disease, also known as globoid cell leukodystrophy, is a rare genetic disorder caused by a deficiency of an enzyme known as galactocerebrosidase. MayoClinic.com reports that this enzyme is essential for the maintenance of myelin, a fatty...
Hurler syndrome is a condition that affects children and is characterized by the body's inability to produce an enzyme, lysosomal alpha-L-iduronidase, which breaks down long chains of sugar molecules called mucopolysaccharides. These molecules are...
Scientific studies indicate that the compound resveratrol may inhibit the growth of colon cancer cells. Resveratrol, which is found in the highest concentrations in nuts, grapes and certain berries, may be an even more potent colon cancer therapy...
The renal system, consisting of the kidneys, ureters, bladder and urethra, can be adversely affected by mercury. Mercury is a toxic heavy metal that can be found in a variety of forms, both as a liquid and a gas. It can be found in the food chain...
Vitamin B-12, also known as cobalamin, is an essential water-soluble vitamin. Vitamin B-12 helps to maintain proper brain functioning and also is required in the process to synthesize DNA. Vitamin B-12 is found in protein-rich foods. Vitamin B-12...
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...
Your environment, genes and lifestyle all influence the development of aging skin. From birth to death, the human body constantly undergoes changing, reaching physical maturity in adulthood and declining in human growth hormones thereafter. In...
Xanax is a brand name for the medication alprazolam from the benzodiazepine family of drugs. These medications are used to treat anxiety, panic disorders and depression-related anxiety. If you are a coffee-drinker, you are likely aware that...
In the last 20 years, the rate of obesity -- defined as having a body mass index greater than 30 -- has dramatically risen in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Much of the obesity epidemic is blamed on the...
Neurological disorders affect the brain, spinal cord and nerves of the central and peripheral nervous systems. While many neurological disorders are common, others occur so infrequently that they are recognized as rare disorders. These disorders...
A cell is the basic structure of the body. Organelle means tiny organs and these structures within a cell perform specialized functions. For example, the nucleus contains all the DNA and directs the synthesis of proteins and the process of cell...
The heart has the responsibility to pump blood and oxygen to all of the organs and tissues of the body. Once the oxygen has been delivered, the blood returns to the heart, so it can be sent back to the lungs to pick up oxygen once more....
All of your muscle fibers have varying numbers and sizes of the exact same internal components, and each component works continuously during all forms of physical activity. Particular kinds of training can emphasize functions of individual...
Blood is a type of connective tissue that contains red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets. The contents of blood cells are identified in lab by using cell staining techniques and evaluated under a light microscope. Some cell contents are...
Digestive enzymes are a subcategory of enzymes. Specifically, they help to break down the nutrient compounds in the food you eat. There are many different kinds of enzymes in your body, and many are not digestive enzymes. You depend upon enzymes...
According to NOVA online, the human body contains approximately 100 trillion cells. Cells in the human body constantly die and get replaced with new cells as part of the typical cell cycle. While the vast majority of cells in the human body...
The human body holds more than 100 trillion cells, according to the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. Human cells are small, too tiny to be seen without using a microscope, but they make up all of the organs and systems of...
Muscle growth (hypertrophy) is an adaptive response to high-intensity, short-duration exercises, such as weightlifting and sprinting. As a result, muscle fibers thicken because of an increase in cell size rather than an increase in the number of...
Peroxisomes are oval, sac-like organelles that exist in many cells in the body but are most abundant in the liver cells, or hepatocytes. These microscopic cellular structures are so named because they generate hydrogen peroxide in detoxification...
Phospholipids comprise an important class of biological molecules that serve both structural and functional roles in the human body. Their unique composition allows phospholipids to form isolated "envelopes" within the watery environment of your...
There are two FDA-approved nanoparticle cancer drugs, Doxil and Abraxane. Nanoparticles are incredibly tiny molecular packages for drug delivery. Nanoparticle cancer treatments differ from traditional chemotherapy in that drugs inside...
Leukocytes or white blood cells are cells of the immune system, the body's main defense system. Their role is to defend the body against foreign materials and infectious diseases. A healthy immune system is the result of a well-controlled...
Cells are the simplest units of life. In some organisms, cells function as the complete living creature--bacteria, for instance, consist of only a single cell. In other organisms, many cells working together comprise the organism. Regardless of...
Fibromyalgia, a chronic condition involving widespread muscle pain and tenderness, affects 1 to 2 percent of the population, according to the American College of Rheumatology. Fibromyalgia is more common in women, and can cause a variety of...
Protease inhibitors are agents that block the activity of proteases, proteolytic enzymes that break down proteins. When suppressed, viruses that depend on proteases for self-replication, such as HIV or hepatitis C, cannot duplicate themselves....
Tamarind juice is prepared by boiling the dry pulp of the tamarind tree's bean pod in sugar syrup until it is soft and then passing the resulting liquid through a sieve. Tamarindus indica is native to Madagascar and has been introduced to East...
