Trace and Toxic Elements
at http://thepoint.lww.com OVERVIEW AND OBJECTIVES Almost half of the elements listed in the periodic table have been found in the human body.1 An element is considered essential if a deficiency…
BIOCHEMISTRY
Clinical Chemistry and the Geriatric Patient
at http://thepoint.lww.com The number and proportion of older individuals in the total population is increasing rapidly in the United States and other developed nations. There are a number of physiological…
Porphyrins and Hemoglobin
at http://thepoint.lww.com Hemoglobin and myoglobin are chemically similar molecules that contain porphyrin groups. Porphyrins are cyclic structures comprised of four pyrrole rings joined by methine bridges. The arrangement of the…
Toxicology
at http://thepoint.lww.com Key Terms Bioaccumulation Body burden Dose–response relationship Drugs of abuse ED50 Individual dose–response relationship LD50 Poisons Quantal dose–response relationship TD50 Therapeutic index Toxicokinetics Toxicology Toxins Xenobiotics Toxicology is…
Calcium Homeostasis and Hormonal Regulation
at http://thepoint.lww.com CALCIUM HOMEOSTASIS Serum calcium level is maintained at a constant level for the optimal excitability of neural and muscular tissue and the coordinated functioning of various organ systems…
Molecular Theory and Techniques
FIGURE 9.1 DNA molecule. The double helix of the DNA is shown along with details of how the bases, sugars, and phosphates connect to form the structure of the molecule….
Gonadal Function
at http://thepoint.lww.com THE TESTES By the 6th week of development in both sexes, the primordial germ cells have migrated from their extraembryonic location to the gonadal ridges, where they are…
Pancreatic Function and Gastrointestinal Function
at http://thepoint.lww.com The gastrointestinal (GI) system is composed of the mouth, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, and large intestine. Digestion, which is primarily a function of the small intestine, is the…
The Thyroid Gland
at http://thepoint.lww.com THE THYROID The thyroid gland is responsible for the production of two hormones: thyroid hormone and calcitonin. Calcitonin is secreted by parafollicular C cells and is involved in…
Hypothalamic and Pituitary Function
at http://thepoint.lww.com The term pituitary (derived from both Latin and Greek) literally means to “spit mucus,” reflecting the primitive notion of pituitary function. In one way, the ancient physiologists were…
