Question

What are the components of bloodborne glucose?

1) Pyruvic acid
2) Free fatty acids
3) Both A and B
4) None of the above

Answer 1

Bloodborne glucose is metabolized into two molecules of pyruvic acid during glycolysis and is not directly associated with free fatty acids, which are derived from different metabolic processes. Blood glucose can be measured enzymatically and plays a central role in biochemical pathways and diagnoses such as diabetes mellitus.

Step-by-step explanation:

The components of bloodborne glucose include glucose molecules that can be broken down into pyruvic acid during glycolysis. When bonds in the glucose molecules are broken between carbon number 1 and the oxygen atom and between carbons 3 and 4, two molecules of pyruvic acid are produced. This is part of the glycolytic pathway's Phase 1: Glycolysis, which is essential for cellular respiration and energy production. However, free fatty acids are not direct components of bloodborne glucose; rather, they can be derived from glucose or other substrates during various metabolic processes, especially under conditions where glucose utilization is impaired, as in diabetes mellitus. Elevated blood glucose levels can lead to an excess of pyruvic acid, which can then be converted into fatty acids, and these are stored in adipose cells, thereby increasing body fat.

Additionally, blood glucose levels are often measured through enzymatic methods, and glucose is central to various biochemical pathways, such as pyruvate oxidation, the citric acid cycle, and oxidative phosphorylation. Non-carbohydrate precursors of glucose include lactate, glucogenic amino acids, and glycerol. The presence of blood glucose is critically enabling for diagnosing conditions like diabetes mellitus, where despite high levels of glucose in the blood, it cannot be properly used by cells, leading to the release of fatty acids and other metabolic dysfunctions.

Answer 2

In the context of bloodborne glucose, pyruvic acid is a metabolic product of glucose during glycolysis, but free fatty acids are not direct components of glucose metabolism. Various methods exist to measure blood glucose, including enzymatic and reduction methods. Thus, the correct answer is option 1, pyruvic acid.

Step-by-step explanation:

Bloodborne Glucose Components

The main component of bloodborne glucose is actually glucose itself, which is a monosaccharide sugar. When glucose undergoes metabolism through glycolysis, it is eventually converted into pyruvic acid. The breakdown of glucose starts with glycolysis, during which, a single glucose molecule is cleaved into two molecules of pyruvic acid after a series of reactions. This transformation is part of phase 1: Glycolysis and leads to the production of ATP and NADH, providing energy to the cell.

Free fatty acids

are also found in the blood and can be utilized as an energy source, especially when glucose levels are low, such as during fasting or prolonged exercise. However, they are not direct components of glucose metabolism. In the context of diabetes, when glucose is not effectively used by cells, the body begins to break down fat, leading to an increase in free fatty acids and subsequently, the production of ketone bodies, causing a condition called ketoacidosis. This is stated in diabetes mellitus and the excess of free fatty acids is linked with the increased conversion of pyruvic acid into fatty acids and storage in adipose cells as mentioned.

To measure blood glucose levels, various methods are used, one of which is the enzymatic method where glucose oxidase enzyme reacts with glucose to form gluconic acid. Another method, the reduction method, is based on the reducing properties of glucose but has limited specificity because other reducing substances can interfere with the results. Hence, for the question asked, pyruvic acid is a product of glucose metabolism, but free fatty acids are not a direct component of bloodborne glucose. Therefore, the correct answer to the question posed would be option 1, pyruvic acid.