Effect of Physical and Biological Agents on Human Biochemistry

Flashcards covering the effects of physical and biological agents on human biochemistry, including radiation, sound, temperature, pressure, prions, parasites, fungi, viruses, and bacteria.

Physical Agents

Environmental forces like radiation, sound, temperature, and pressure that interact with human biochemistry.

Biological Agents

Living organisms or their products that affect human biochemical processes.

Radiation (Ionizing)

X-rays, gamma rays transfer energy to tissues.

Radiation (Non-ionizing)

UV, microwave, radio transfer energy to tissues.

Sound & Vibration

Mechanical waves that cause tissue compression and rarefaction, potentially damaging cellular structures.

Temperature Extremes

Heat and cold stress that alter enzyme function, protein structure, and membrane properties.

Pressure Changes

Variations that affect gas solubility in fluids and cellular function in deep-sea or high-altitude environments.

Prions

Misfolded proteins causing neurodegenerative disease

Parasites

Protozoa and helminths that live within hosts

Fungi

Eukaryotic organisms producing mycotoxins

Viruses

Non-cellular infectious agents requiring host cells

Bacteria

Single-celled prokaryotic microorganisms

DNA Damage (Radiation)

Radiation directly breaks DNA strands or creates reactive oxygen species that indirectly damage genetic material.

Free Radical Formation (Radiation)

Highly reactive molecular species form through radiolysis of water, attacking cellular components.

Enzyme Inactivation (Radiation)

Radiation alters protein structure, disrupting catalytic function of crucial metabolic enzymes.

Membrane Disruption (Radiation)

Lipid peroxidation from radiation exposure compromises cellular and organelle membrane integrity.

Mechanical Transduction (Sound)

Sound waves convert to mechanical energy, transmitting force to cellular structures throughout the body.

Stress Response (Sound)

Loud sounds trigger cortisol and adrenaline release, altering multiple biochemical pathways.

Cochlear Damage (Vibration)

High-intensity vibrations damage stereocilia proteins in hair cells, causing calcium influx and apoptosis.

Vestibular Disruption (Vibration)

Intense vibration alters otolith function, disrupting calcium carbonate crystal interactions with sensory hair cells.

Enzyme Kinetics (Temperature)

Temperature changes alter reaction rates by affecting molecular collisions and enzyme-substrate binding.

Protein Denaturation (Temperature)

Excessive heat disrupts hydrogen bonds and other forces maintaining protein structure.

Membrane Fluidity (Temperature)

Cold rigidifies and heat fluidizes cell membranes, affecting transport protein function.

Metabolic Rate (Temperature)

Temperature influences ATP production and consumption, altering overall cellular energy balance.

Gas Solubility (Pressure)

Increased pressure raises gas dissolution in blood and tissues, affecting oxygen transport.

Volume Regulation (Pressure)

Cells activate osmotic response pathways to maintain volume under pressure changes.

Enzyme Conformation (Pressure)

Pressure alters protein spatial arrangement, modifying catalytic efficiency and substrate binding.

Membrane Transport (Pressure)

Pressure affects lipid packing and protein channels, changing ion and nutrient flux.

Toxin Production (Bacteria)

Bacterial exotoxins and endotoxins disrupt host cell membranes, protein synthesis, and signaling pathways.

Metabolic Disruption (Bacteria)

Bacteria compete for nutrients and alter host metabolic pathways, creating energy deficits.

Inflammation (Bacteria)

Bacterial components trigger cytokine cascades, activating systemic inflammatory responses.

Microbiome Effects (Bacteria)

Even non-pathogenic bacteria influence host metabolism through complex biochemical interactions.

Host Cell Hijacking (Viruses)

Viruses redirect cellular resources to viral protein synthesis and replication.

Translation Disruption (Viruses)

Viral mechanisms shut down host protein synthesis while promoting viral protein production.

Energy Depletion (Viruses)

Viral replication consumes ATP and metabolic precursors, creating cellular energy deficits.

Cell Death Pathways (Viruses)

Viruses either promote or inhibit apoptosis depending on their replication strategy.

Mycotoxin Production (Fungi)

Fungi secrete potent compounds that inhibit protein synthesis and damage cellular DNA.

Enzyme Competition (Fungi)

Fungal enzymes compete with human counterparts for substrates, disrupting metabolic balance.

Oxidative Damage (Fungi)

Fungi generate reactive oxygen species, overwhelming cellular antioxidant defenses.

Immune Modulation (Fungi)

Fungal components alter cytokine production, affecting systemic inflammatory responses.

Nutrient Theft (Parasites)

Parasites directly consume host nutrients, creating deficiencies in essential vitamins and minerals.

Tissue Damage (Parasites)

Parasitic migration and feeding activities physically disrupt tissues and cellular structures.

Immune Evasion (Parasites)

Sophisticated biochemical mechanisms help parasites avoid detection by host defense systems.

Protein Misfolding (Prions)

Prions induce normal proteins to adopt abnormal three-dimensional conformations through direct contact.

Neuronal Death (Prions)

Aggregated prion proteins form toxic fibrils that disrupt cellular function and trigger apoptosis.

Loss of Function (Prions)

Converted proteins lose their normal biological activity, disrupting essential cellular processes.

Stress Response (Prions)

Protein aggregation activates cellular stress pathways and overwhelms protein degradation systems.

Radiation ROS Generation

Primary targets are DNA and proteins; defensive systems include glutathione and catalase.

Heat Stress ROS Generation

Mitochondrial disruption primarily targets membranes and enzymes; defensive systems include heat shock proteins.

Toxins ROS Generation

Metabolic activation primarily targets liver and kidney cells; defensive systems include Cytochrome P450 and SOD.

Pathogens ROS Generation

Inflammatory response has varied targets depending on the pathogen; defensive systems include antioxidant enzymes.

Cytokine Production

Physical and biological agents trigger pro-inflammatory signaling molecules that coordinate immune response.

Complement Activation

Sequential protein activation creates membrane attack complexes that destroy foreign cells.

Antibody Generation

B cells produce specific immunoglobulins that neutralize toxins and mark pathogens for destruction.

Epigenetic Modifications

Environmental agents can alter gene expression without changing DNA sequence.

Energy Production Alterations

Agents disrupt glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation, compromising ATP synthesis and cellular energy.

Lipid Metabolism Alterations

Exposure alters fatty acid synthesis and breakdown, affecting membrane integrity and signaling.

Protein Homeostasis Alterations

Translation machinery damage creates imbalance between protein synthesis and degradation rates.

Detoxification

Xenobiotic metabolism pathways activate to neutralize foreign substances, sometimes creating harmful intermediates.

Synergistic Effects

Combined impacts of multiple agents (e.g., radiation + viral infection, temperature + bacteria, chemical + parasitic infection).

Future Directions - Research Frontiers

Single-cell analysis and systems biology approaches are revealing new interactions between agents and biochemical networks.

Future Directions - Therapeutic Potential

Understanding biochemical mechanisms enables development of targeted interventions to prevent or reverse damage.

Future Directions - Emerging Technologies

Organ-on-chip platforms and AI-powered predictive models are revolutionizing how we study agent-biochemistry interactions.