Final answer:
Acid maltase deficiency, also known as alpha-glucosidase or Pompe disease, is a genetic disorder causing glycogen buildup in lysosomes due to a missing enzyme, leading to progressive muscle weakness. It is one of several enzyme-deficiency disorders, such as fructose intolerance and G6PD deficiency, that affect metabolic processes in the body.
Step-by-step explanation:
Acid maltase deficiency, also known as alpha-glucosidase deficiency, is a storage disorder of the glycogen metabolism, leading to an accumulation of glycogen in the lysosomes. It is a genetic disorder where the body lacks the enzyme necessary to break down glycogen into glucose, resulting in progressive muscle weakness. This deficiency is a form of glycogen storage disease and is also known as Pompe disease.
This condition can be compared to other enzymatic disorders such as fructose intolerance, due to deficiency of aldolase-B, leading to an aversion to fructose-rich diets. Similarly, the most common enzyme-deficiency disorder is glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency, the absence of which can lead to hemolytic anemia due to the premature breakdown of red blood cells.
Like lactose intolerance, where the body lacks lactase, preventing the digestion of lactose in milk; or galactosemia, a condition where the conversion of galactose to glucose is hindered due to missing enzymes; acid maltase deficiency disrupts normal metabolic processes, leading to significant health issues.