Formative Assessments

Biochemistry

The chemical structure and function in biomolecules in living organisms.

Enzymology

The study of enzymes and how they speed up chemical reactions

Glycosyltransferases

Family of enzymes that assemble sugar chains on red blood cells, forming blood group antigens

Clinical Biochemistry

Branch of laboratory medicine focused on analyzing bodily fluids to help diagnose, monitor, and treat diseases

Polarity’s role in Blood Biochemistry

It affects how molecules dissolve and interact in blood

Glycogenesis (Classification & Definition)

(Carbohydrates) The process of synthesizing glycogen from glucose (primarily in the liver and muscle tissues) when there is excess glucose in the body

Glycolipids (Classification & Definition)

(Lipids) Found in cell membranes for cell recognition, these are lipids with attached carbohydrates via glycosidic bonds

Hemoglobin (Classification & Definition)

(Quaternary Protein) A protein in the blood that helps with oxygen binding and transport

RNA (Classification & Definition)

(Nucleic Acid) A nucleic acid that allows protein synthesis to happen in a cell

Antibodies (Classification & Definition)

(Protein) Key defenders in the immune system. They are designed to bind to antigens.

Enzymatic Activity of Glycosyltransferase

It has no enzymatic activity.

Carbohydrates’ Role in the Blood

They directly determine a person’s ABO blood type by forming antigens of RBCs,

Importance of Glycolipids in Antigen Presentation for Blood Typing

They anchor antigenic carbohydrate chains to RBC membranes.

Reason why antibodies only bind to their matching antigens

They are chemically reactive and specifically recognize unique antigenic structures.

What happens when A type B patient is given type A blood?

Anti-A antibodies attack the A antigens, causing agglutination

A child is admitted with symptoms of vomiting and jaundice after drinking milk. Lab tests show high levels of galactose in the blood. Which sugar is likely causing the problem?

Galactose

Sugar that is present on blood type A RBCs

N-acetylgalactosamine

Functional group a sugar would need to have to gain polar and water-soluble properties?

Hydroxyl group (-OH)

Found in RNA and plays a role in making proteins

Ribose

Sugar that is present on blood type B RBCs

Galactose

A patient receives a blood transfusion and suddenly goes into shock. Later tests reveal that the donor blood had a different oligosaccharide structure than the recipient. What is the most likely cause of the reaction?

Antibody mismatch due to stereochemistry of antigens

Sugars that are metabolically usable by the human body

D-isomers

Caused by a deficiency in the enzyme GALT, which prevents proper galactose breakdown

Galactosemia

The role of stereospecificity in digestion

It allows enzymes to recognize and act only on sugars with the correct 3D structure

Form of glucose that fits the metabolic “lock” of human enzymes

D-glucose

Reason why Type O- is the universal donor

Lacks antigens

During a hospital emergency, a patient with Type B blood receives Type A blood. What is the most likely reaction?

Antibodies will bind to unfamiliar antigens and cause agglutination

Molecular structure that acts like a “name tag” for red blood cells in blood typing

Oligosaccharide chains

Blood type that is made when both A & B alleles are inherited

AB

Enzyme that is responsible for attaching sugar markers to red blood cells

Glycosyltransferase

Enzyme that is absent in galactosemic babies

Galactose-1-phosphate uridyltransferase

Fever and low blood pressure is observed after mismatched tranfusion. Clumps of red cells are seen under the microscope.

Antibody-antigen agglutination

Isomers of sugar moleculse that human enzyme evolved to use

D-isomers

Red blood cells show an oligosaccharide chain ending in galactose. Plasma contains anti-A antibodies.

Type B

If a certain lipid is removed from RBC, the sugar chain detaches from the cell surface.

Glycolipid

Gino’s parents have blood types AO and BO. Genetic testing is done to predict Gino’s potential blood type. Is AA possible?

No

Rh– mother’s anti-D antibodies are exposed to Rh+ fetal blood

Hemolytic disease of the newborn

True or False: Blood types A and B can be differentiated because A has proteins and B has sugars

False

Biomolecule that is most involved in recognition errors

Carbohydrate chains

Clumping with both anti-A and anti-B, No clumping with anti-Rh

AB-