BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES 170 (PDF)

(COURSE OUTLINE Copyright © Haring)

 

 

Course number: Biological Science 170 (Spring Semester)

Instructor:     Ray Haring, Ph.D.

Hours: T/TH 9:00 a.m. - 10:15 a.m.  Office phone: TBA

Subject:     Advanced Nutrition & Metabolism

Office phone:     TBA

Instructor’s Office:    TBA

Instructor’s WEB site:    www.smallestthings.com

Instructor’s Office hours:   TBA

All TBAs:      Provided on 1st day of instruction

 

PREREQUISITES

 

Biochemistry 161, FACS 113 (Nutrition & Metabolism), and consent of instructor.

 

RECOMMENDED MATERIAL

 

Advanced Nutrition and Human Metabolism. Third Edition, West Publishing.

 

CONCISE DESCRIPTION

 

Comprehensive study of nutrition from a biochemical and physiological approach. Examination of essential nutrients and their interrelationship with cellular metabolism. Designed for students interested in nutrition and cellular metabolism.

 

GENERAL COURSE OBJECTIVES

 

Detailed understanding of intermediary metabolism.

 

Identify and critically examine metabolic events involved in maintaining life. Four basic questions will be addressed: (a) Why does the metabolic pathway exist?; (b) In what tissues do the metabolic pathways occur?; (c) What are the metabolic steps of the pathway?; and, (d) What controls/regulates metabolic events occurring in cells?

 

Examine the organization and metabolic function of specialized body cells.

 

Examine how hormones and enzymes are involved in the regulation of metabolic processes.

 

Appreciate how complex chemical compounds and nutrients interrelate and participate in metabolic pathways.

 

Examine the biosynthesis and degradation of nutrients and biological compounds.

 

Examine common research methods used to study nutrition and metabolism.

 

Understand the metabolic basis for various clinical disorders.

 

Comprehensive examination of the characteristics and physiological functions of specific nutrients (carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, vitamins, minerals, and water) in relation to the metabolic roles they play in the body.

 

Examination of the interactions and relationships that exist between nutrients.

 

Basic understanding of diet in relation to nutritional and energy requirements.

 

Apply knowledge and understanding of nutrients to contemporary and controversial subjects.

 

Understand the importance of an adequate diet in maintaining homeostasis and the general health of an animal.

 

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

 

Develop a clear and concise understanding of all lecture material, reading assignments, and independent class assignments. Each student is required to be able to analyze and integrate nutritional concepts discussed in class and in reading assignments. Each student is required to use and apply the knowledge he or she gains from lecture and reading material to critically examine and contemplate current nutrition and health issues.

 

Textbook reading assignments are used to supplement lecture information.

 

Participation in a GROUP PROJECT is required. Student groups will be assigned one vitamin and one mineral to discuss in class during the scheduled vitamin and mineral discussion section. Groups will consist of two students. Each student within each group is expected to do their own reading, research, and analysis. Each student must submit a 3-4-page outline for each nutrient (six to eight pages total for each student).

 

Analysis and write-up will consist of a critical evaluation of each nutrient in terms of their major physiological functions and detailed metabolic roles. Emphasis on each nutrient will be on examining the metabolic significance each nutrient plays in human nutrition. Please include six true and false questions obtained from your analysis. As a group, students are expected to work together to present a 15-minute class presentation on the two assigned nutrients. Group project are graded on a pass or fail basis. Failure to participate in the GROUP PROJECT will result in an automatic deduction of 15 percent of the total possible class points.

 

Deadline for submitting individual reports will be announced the first week of class. Sign-up for scheduled class presentations will begin one week after the beginning of class.

 

OVERALL OBJECTIVE

 

To provide a comprehensive account of the interrelationships between nutrition and metabolism.  The major emphasis throughout the course will be on understanding nutritional, physiological, and biochemical processes responsible for promoting and maintaining homeostasis and life.

 

CLASS PROCEDURE

 

Lecture (90-95 % of class), discussions (as much as possible), and exams.

 

 

COURSE CONTENT OUTLINE

 

INTRODUCTION TO NUTRITION AND METABOLISM

 

1. What is nutrition all about?  What is intermediary metabolism all about?  What is this course all about?

 

SUMMARY OF BASIC NUTRITION & BIOLOGICAL CONCEPTS

 

1. Appreciating life and the inherent beauty of biological systems.

 

a) Thinking about the complexity of our body in terms of cell organization, i.e. plasma membranes, nucleus, mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, golgi complex, lysosomes, peroxisomes, and the cytoplasm.

 

b) Thinking about different kinds of specialized cells, i.e. liver, kidney, brain, muscle, adipose, lung, erythrocytes, leukocytes, bone, thyroid, parathyroid, pancreatic, cardiac, gastrointestinal, nerve, endocrine, reproductive, and tumor cells.

 

c) Thinking about the complexity of our body in terms of biomolecules, i.e. chemical compounds that are involved in nutrition and metabolism.

 

2. General biological concepts that relate to the field of nutrition.

 

a) The significance of maintaining homeostasis.

 

b) Chemical reactions necessary to maintain life.

 

3. Food and essential nutrients.

 

a) Carbohydrates: Definition, nomenclature, chemical composition and structure of common carbohydrates, synthesis, digestion, absorption, transport, introduction to metabolism, functions, food sources, health & disease ideas, dietary requirements and recommendations.

 

b) Lipids: Definition, nomenclature, chemical composition and structure of lipids and related compounds, physical properties, digestion, absorption, transport, introduction to metabolism, functions, food sources, health & disease ideas, dietary requirements and recommendations.

 

c) Proteins: Definition, chemical structure of amino acids and selected proteins, essential and nonessential amino acids, introduction to protein synthesis, digestion, absorption,  transport, introduction to metabolism, nitrogen balance studies, protein quality, functions, health & disease ideas, food sources, requirements and recommendations.

 

d) Vitamins: Classification, chemical structures and properties, physiological functions, deficiency and toxicity symptoms, food sources, tissue storage, and dietary recommendations.

 

e) Minerals: Classification, physiological functions, deficiency and toxicity symptoms, food sources, health and disease ideas, and dietary recommendations.

 

f) Water: Body fluid compartments; composition of body fluids; regulation of fluid contents; pH, pK, and buffers; acid base regulation (general biochemical and physiological aspects of regulation); forces producing movement of substrates between compartments (diffusion, carrier mediated transport, filtration, osmosis, and active transport); sources; functions; homeostasis; and recommendations.

 

4. Acid-base chemistry.

 

a) Review of acid-base balance.

 

b) Hydrogen ion production in the body.

 

c) Regulation of pH: Buffers, respiratory control and renal regulation.

 

d) Clinical example: Diabetes and ketoacidosis.

 

5. Energy concepts and weight control.

 

a) Calories and high-energy rich compounds, direct and indirect calorimetry, heat of combustion and physiological fuel values, proximate analysis of food, variation in caloric content of food, and counting calories.

 

b) Energy expenditures: Basal metabolism, physiological activities, dietary thermogenesis, and estimating energy expenditures.

 

c) Metabolism and respiratory quotient.

 

d) Appetite and hunger concepts.

 

e) Dieting, exercising, and weight control ideas.

 

6. Improving your diet (quick review of major concepts).

 

a) Dietary standards, RDA, DRV, DV, RDI (USRDA); food labeling, nutrient density concepts; food composition tables; selection of an adequate diet; evaluation of nutritional status; drug and nutrient interactions; health foods; additives; reliable nutrition sources.

 

b) Thinking about how much we eat: Application of material and general class discussion on personal food choices and habits.

 

c) General calculations.

 

INTERRELATIONSHIP BETWEEN NUTRITION AND METABOLISM

 

ENZYMES IN NUTRITION AND METABOLISM

 

1. What are enzymes and cofactors?

2. Significance of enzyme turnover.

3. Nomenclature and classification of enzymes.

4. Mechanism of enzyme action.

5. Enzyme properties: specificity, denaturation by temperature and hydrogen ion concentration, and mechanism of inhibition and activation of enzymes.

6. Significance of enzyme activity.

7. Enzyme kinetics: general properties of enzyme kinetics, significance of hyperbolic (Michaelis-Menten kinetics) and sigmoidal kinetics in enzyme regulation of metabolic pathways.

8. Determination of enzyme kinetic constants (Lineweaver-Burk plots).

9. Overview of enzymes in nutrition and intermediary metabolism.

 

HORMONES IN NUTRITION AND METABOLISM

 

1. What are hormones?

2. What are endocrine glands?

3. Difference in biochemical structure of certain hormones.

4. Regulation of hormone secretion.

5. How hormone receptors work.

6. Mechanisms of hormone action.

7. Hormones in nutrition and intermediary metabolism.

8. Overview of biochemical and physiological effects of hormones.

9. Biosynthesis of certain hormones.

10 Hormone-related compounds (prostaglandins).

 

NEUROTRANSMITTER METABOLISM

 

1. What are neurotransmitters?

2. Introduction to neurotransmitter metabolism.

3. Synthesis and catabolism of neurotransmitters.

4. Biochemical effects of neurotransmitters.

5. Effect of nutrition (diet) on the level of certain neurotransmitters.

 

NUCLEIC ACIDS AND NUCLEOTIDE METABOLISM

 

1. What are nucleotides and nucleic acids?

2. Biochemical structures.

3. Significance of nucleic acids in the storage and transfer of information in protein synthesis.

4. Significance of nucleotides in nutrition and metabolism.

 

INTRODUCTION TO INTERMEDIARY METABOLISM

 

1. Introduction to metabolic pathways.

2. Laboratory methods used to study metabolism.

 

a) Cellular systems:  Isolated cells; tissue slices; isolated organs; whole animal.

b) Cell-free systems:  Isolated enzymes; cell-free homogenates.

 

3. Biochemical energetics.

 

a) Fundamental laws of energy transformations.

b) Exergonic and endergonic reactions in metabolism.

c) Energy-rich compounds.

 

The following questions will be addressed in the discussion of metabolic pathways.

 

1. Why?  What are the functions of metabolic pathways?

2. Where?  In which tissues do the metabolic pathways occur?

3. When?  How is metabolic flux controlled/regulated?

4. Steps! Attention will focus on the sequence of metabolic pathways.

 

TRICARBOXYLIC ACID CYCLE

 

1. Cellular location.

2. Reactions of the cycle.

3. Functions: oxidation of acetyl coenzyme-A; biosynthesis reactions; relationship to gluconeogenesis and lipogenesis.

4. Energetics of the cycle.

5. Control/regulation of key enzymes in Krebs cycle.

6. Anaplerotic reactions.

7. Entry of amino acids into the Krebs cycle.

8. Integration and overview of Krebs cycle as a metabolic pathway.

 

ELECTRON TRANSPORT SYSTEM

 

1. Cellular location.

2. Function.

3. Major components of the respiratory chain.

4. Oxidative phosphorylation.

5. Control of respiration.

6. Mitochondrial energy states.

7. Inhibiting and uncoupling oxidative phosphorylation.

8. Integration of Krebs cycle and oxidative phosphorylation.

9. Significance of the adenine nucleotide translocase system.

10. Application of material to experimental research.

 

MEMBRANE TRANSPORT AND COUPLED SYSTEMS

 

1. Significance of metabolic pools: compartmentalization of ions, enzymes, and various metabolites.

2. Transport across membranes:  passive diffusion, active transport, mediated transport.

3. Transport of reducing equivalents: Malate-aspartate shuttle system and the glycerol phosphate shuttle system.

4. Adenine nucleotide transport.

5. Ion transport across membranes.

6. Application of material to experimental research.

 

CARBOHYDRATE METABOLISM

 

1. Review of nomenclature and chemical structure of carbohydrates.

2. Catabolism of carbohydrates:

 

a) Glycolysis: cellular location, function, metabolic pathway, regulation, physiological significance of anaerobic glycolysis, and clinical aspects.

b) Pentose phosphate pathway: cellular location, function, metabolic pathway, regulation, and physiological significance.

c) Glycogenolysis: cellular location, function, metabolic pathway, regulation, and physiological significance.

d) Application of material to experimental research.

 

3. Anabolism of carbohydrates

 

a) Glycogenesis: cellular location, function, metabolic pathway, regulation, and physiological significance.

b) Gluconeogenesis: cellular location, function, metabolic pathways, regulation,  and physiological significance.

 

4. Clinical examples of metabolic aberrations in carbohydrate metabolism.

 

a) Diabetes

b) Hypoglycemia

c) Galactosemia

d) Lactose intolerance

 

5. Metabolism of carbohydrate related compounds

 

a) Chondroitin sulfates, keratin sulfates, heparin sulfates, and hyaluronate.

 

6. Seeing the whole picture:  Quick review of pyruvate metabolism.

7. Note on fructose metabolism.

 

LIPID METABOLISM

 

1. Review of nomenclature and chemical structure of lipids.

2. Catabolism of lipids.

 

a) Lipolysis: cellular location, function, metabolic pathway, regulation, and physiological significance.

b) Fatty acid oxidation: cellular location, function, metabolic pathway, regulation, energetics, physiological significance, metabolic consequences, and relevance to ketogenesis and ketoacidosis.

c) Ketone body formation and utilization:  cellular location, function, metabolic pathway, physiological significance of ketogenesis, tissue utilization of ketone bodies, and regulation of ketogenesis.

 

3. Anabolism of lipids.

 

a) Lipogenesis: cellular location, function, metabolic pathway, regulation, physiological significance.

b) Synthesis and metabolism of cholesterol and steroid hormones.

 

4. Lipoprotein metabolism.

 

a) Composition and physiological roles of plasma lipoproteins.

b) Clinical significance of lipoprotein metabolism.

 

AMINO ACID METABOLISM

 

1. Biosynthesis of nonessential amino acids

 

a) Amino acid synthesis from Krebs cycle intermediates.

b) Amino acid synthesis from carbohydrate metabolism.

c) Amino acid synthesis from essential amino acids.

d) Amino acid synthesis from nonessential amino acids.

 

2. Overview of amino acid metabolism in various tissues:  liver, muscle, kidney

 intestine and brain.

 

3. Degradation of amino acids

 

a) Fate of nitrogen:  utilization and disposal of nitrogen via the urea cycle. Emphasis will be on understanding the urea cycle.

b) Fate of carbon:  glucogenic and ketogenic pathways.

 

4. Amino acids as precursors of important compounds

 

a) Amine synthesis:  catecholamines, serotonin, and histamine.

b) Acetylcholine.

c) Creatine synthesis.

d) Carnitine synthesis.

e) Gama-aminobutyrate synthesis.

f) Thyroxine synthesis.

 

NUTRITION AND ETHANOL METABOLISM

 

1. Alcohol and nutrition:  nutritional considerations.

2. Cellular location and metabolic pathway of ethanol oxidation.

3. Energetics of ethanol metabolism.

4. Control of ethanol metabolism.

 

APPLICATIONS OF NUTRITION AND METABOLISM CONCEPTS

 

1. Nutrition/metabolism and breakfast (metabolic changes after ending a fast).

2. Nutrition/metabolism and diseases (diabetes, hypoglycemia, heart disease, etc.).

3. Nutrition/metabolism and coffee breaks (metabolic effects of caffeine).

4. Nutrition/metabolism and stress (metabolic changes induced by physical and emotional stress).

5. Nutrition/metabolism and happy hour (effect of ethanol on liver metabolism).

6. Nutrition/metabolism and exercise (nutritional and physiological considerations).

7. Nutrition/metabolism and inactivity (atrophy).

8. Nutrition/metabolism and overindulgence (obesity).

9. Nutrition/metabolism and learning (research).

 

GRADING POLICY

 

Three one-hour (closed book) exams worth 22% each. A comprehensive final exam (closed book) worth 34% of total class grade.

 

Note:  Lecture and class hand-outs (lecture supplement) will be covered on all exams.

 

Class grades based on percent of total points.

 

94 - 100 = A

88 - 93.99 = A-

84 - 87.99 = B+

81 - 83.99 = B

78 - 80.99 = B-

75 - 77.99 = C+

70 - 74.99 = C

65 - 69.99 = C-

62 - 64.99 = D+

58 - 61.99 = D

55 - 57.99 = D-

0 - 54.99 = F

 

 All exams must be taken on the day they are scheduled.  People who have a legitimate (reasonable) excuse may make up the exam within the week (otherwise 10% deducted). Due to the fact I have to meet a grade deadline date, there will be no possibility to take a late final exam. Notify me at once if you feel a cold developing. No form of cheating is tolerated in BS 170.

 

CALENDAR

 

Note: Lecture by lecture reading assignments will be announced each class session to help assist students organize their study time and habits. Reading assignments will mirror topics covered week by week. At the beginning or end of each lecture, students will be notified of topic materials to be covered for the following lecture(s).

 

Week of: Jan 28 and 30. 1 Topic 1 (Follow order in topic headings)

Week of: Feb 4 and 6 Topic 1 (Follow order in topic headings)

Week of: Feb 11 and 13 Topic 1 (Follow order in topic headings)

Week of: Feb 18 and 20 Topic 1 (Exam 1 Feb 20)

Week of: Feb 25 and 27 Topic 11 (Follow order in topic headings)

Week of: March 4 and 6 Topic 11 (Follow order in topic headings)

Week of: March 11 and 13 Topic 11 (Follow order in topic headings)

Week of: March 18 and 20 (Exam 2 March 20)

Week of: March 25 and 27 Topic 111 (Follow order in topic headings)

Week of: April 1 and 3 Topic 111 (Follow order in topic headings)

Week of: April 8 and 10 Topic 111 (Follow order in topic headings)

Week of: April 15 and 17 (Spring Recess)

Week of: April 22 and 24 (Exam 3 April 24)

Week of: April 29 and May 1 Topic 1V (Follow order in topic headings)

Week of: May 6 and 8 Topic 1V (Follow order in topic headings)

Week of: May 13 and 15 Topic 1V (Follow order in topic headings)

Week of: May 20 (Final Exam May 20  3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.)

 

NOTE

 

EXAM # 1 COVERS TOPIC 1 (SECTIONS 1- 6)

 

EXAM # 2 COVERS TOPIC II (SECTIONS 7-12)

 

EXAM # 3 COVERS TOPIC III (SECTIONS 13-17)

 

EXAM #4 (FINAL) COVERS SECTIONS 18-25 AND METABOLIC & PHYSIOLOGICAL FUNCTIONS OF VITAMINS AND MINERALS. REMEMBER THE FINAL EXAM IS COMPREHENSIVE (ALL SECTIONS COVERED ON FINAL).

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