1. Section III Physiological Biochemistry Universities Press
/1/A & /1, Himayatnagar
Hyderabad (A.P.), India
Phone: /5447

2. Biochemistry of Blood

3. PLASMA PROTEINS Types of plasma proteins
The normal total plasma protein concentration is around 6 to 8 g/dl of blood. The major forms of plasma proteins are:
1. Albumin constitutes around 60% of all the plasma proteins (3.5–5 g/dl).
2. Globulins: Normal plasma concentration is 2–3 g/dl. Globulins occur in different forms:
i) a-globulins
ii) b-globulins
iii) g-globulins
3. Fibrinogen (0.2–0.4 g/dl)

4. SEPARATION OF PLASMA PROTEINS
Salting out technique
Electrophoresis
Ultracentrifugation technique
Cohn's fractionation
Gel filtration (molecular seiving):

5. Separation of serum proteins by electrophoresis (normal pattern)

6. ESTIMATION OF CONCENTRATIONS OF FRACTIONS OF PLASMA PROTEINS BY DENSITOMETER

7. FUNCTIONS OF ALBUMIN
1. Maintains colloid osmotic pressure (COP) of plasma
2. Transport function
3. Buffering action
4. Nutritional function

8. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF ALBUMIN
Albumin by binding to certain compounds in blood prevents them from crossing the blood–brain barrier, e.g. albumin–bilirubin complex, albumin–fatty acid complex.
Hypoalbuminemia
Tissue edema
Kwashiorkor
Cirrhosis of liver
Nephrotic syndrome
(Continued…

9. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF ALBUMIN
…Continues)
paucialbuminuria or
microalbuminuria
The normal albumin–globulin ratio (A/G ratio) is about 1.2:1 to 2:1. The A/G ratio is lowered or reversed either when albumin is decreased or globulins are increased, usually observed in cirrhosis of the liver, nephrotic syndrome and multiple myeloma.

10. GLOBULINS
Globulins constitute multiple proteins that are separated into four distinct bands (a1, a2, b and g) on electrophoresis.

11. Major features and functions of plasma proteins
(Continued…

12. …Continues) Major features and functions of plasma proteins

13. STRUCTURE OF A HUMAN IG MOLECULE
Structure of a human Ig molecule (V - variable region, C - constant region; Each heavy chain is composed of four units - VH , CH1 , CH2, CH3 while light chain consists of two units - VL, CL).

14. CLASSES OF IMMUNOGLOBULINS
Depending on the heavy chain make up, the
immunoglobulins are differentiated into five major classes.
1. Immunoglobulin G (IgG)
2. IgM
3. IgA
4. IgD
5. IgE

15. Major characteristics of human immunoglobulins

16. Multiple myeloma
Bence-Jones proteins
Bradshaw’s test
Amyloidosis

17. RBC Structure RBC count – Men 4.6–6.2 million/mL
– Women 4.2–5.4 million/mL
Metabolism in RBC

18. BIOCHEMICAL BASIS OF DISEASES AFFECTING RBC
Hemolytic anemias
Hereditary spherocytosis
hereditary elliptocytosis
Hemoglobinopathies
Sickle cell anemia
a-thalassemia
b-thalassemia
Genetic deficiency of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase

19. WBC
Respiratory burst