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Clinical Biochemistry: Lecture (4) : Plasma Proteins

This document discusses plasma proteins, including: 1. Plasma contains different proteins like albumin, globulins, and fibrinogen that have various functions. 2. Causes of increased or decreased total protein concentration include dehydration, multiple myeloma, liver disease, nutritional deficiencies, and abnormal losses through the kidneys or intestines. 3. Specific plasma proteins discussed in more detail are albumin, globulins including immunoglobulins, pre-albumin, and fibrinogen. Abnormal levels of these proteins can indicate various health conditions.

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Amine Gobran
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152 views12 pages

Clinical Biochemistry: Lecture (4) : Plasma Proteins

This document discusses plasma proteins, including: 1. Plasma contains different proteins like albumin, globulins, and fibrinogen that have various functions. 2. Causes of increased or decreased total protein concentration include dehydration, multiple myeloma, liver disease, nutritional deficiencies, and abnormal losses through the kidneys or intestines. 3. Specific plasma proteins discussed in more detail are albumin, globulins including immunoglobulins, pre-albumin, and fibrinogen. Abnormal levels of these proteins can indicate various health conditions.

Uploaded by

Amine Gobran
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Faculty of Pharmacy Spring 2021

Clinical Biochemistry
Lecture (4): Plasma Proteins

Presented by
Dr/ Ahmed El-Husseiny
Lecturer of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
E_mail: [email protected]
Plasma proteins
➢ Plasma contains a variety of proteins with different function.
➢ Total protein content of normal plasma is 6 to 8 g/dl.
➢ Types of Plasma Proteins:
❖ The plasma proteins consist of albumin, globulins and fibrinogen.
❖ Almost all plasma proteins, except immunoglobulins are synthesized in liver.
❖ These may be separated by electrophoresis Albumin has the maximum mobility and gamma
globulin has the minimum mobility in the electrical field.
Plasma proteins
Causes of increased total protein concentration:
1- Dehydration that resulted from:-
 A decrease in water intake.
 An excessive water loss e.g severe diarrohea, severe vomiting.
In these cases, the serum proteins is unaltered, but the concentration is increased
because of the decreased volume of water.
2- In multiple myeloma (cancer of bone marrow) due to presence of paraproteins.
3- In certain chronic diseases due to the increased level of gamma globulins, leading
to the increased level of total proteins e.g chronic inflammatory diseases and liver
cirrhosis.
Plasma proteins
Causes of low total protein concentration (hypoproteinemia):
1- Relative water excess e.g over hydration.
2- Excessive loss of proteins (mainly albumin) in some diseases as:
 Nephrotic syndrome of kidney, where albumin is lost in urine through damaged
kidney cells.
 Severe burns of skin, bleeding and open wounds.
 In protein-losing enteropathy (a disease characterized by a loss of serum proteins into
the intestinal tract) as in ulceration.
3- Decreased synthesis of protein as severe dietary protein deficiency, severe liver
disease.
4- Increase of capillary permeability, since proteins will diffuse out into interstitial space
as in septicemia and inflammatory conditions.
Pre-albumin

This protein, normally present in small amount, and is


synthesized in hepatocytes. Therefore, Pre-albumin decreased in
both acute and chronic liver disease.
 It acts as one of the transport proteins for vitamin A and
thyroxine.
1- Albumin
Albumin is the major serum protein with a reference range of 3.5-5.5 g/dl.
It is synthesized and secreted by the liver.
Albumin makes the biggest role of the plasma osmotic pressure which serve
to maintain a normal blood volume and normal water content in the interstitial
fluid and tissues.
If the albumin concentration is fallen to very-low level, water migrates from
the blood vessels to the interstitial fluid and the tissues producing edema.
Causes of low plasma albumin concentration

1- Decreased synthesis:
Malnutrition
Malabsorption.
Advanced chronic liver disease.
2- Abnormal distribution or dilution due to:
Over hydration
Increased capillary permeability as in acute infection.
3- Abnormal excretion or degradation due to:
nephrotic syndrome
Protein-losing enteropathy
Burns and bleeding.

2- Globulins
The total globulins range is about 2.9 g/dl
They are synthesized in liver except γ-globulins which are formed in the
cells of reticuloendothelial system.
Globulins are:
1- α-Globulins
2- β-Globulins
3- γ-Globulins or Immunoglobulins or antibodies:
γ-Globulins or Immunoglobulins

γ-Globulins are glycoproteins produced by the plasma cells of the bone marrow in
response to the presence of foreign compounds.
They include the 5 types (IgM, IgA, IgG, IgE & IgD).

Ig Location & notes Action


IgM -It is found mainly in the blood and lymph fluid -It is the first to be made by the body to
-Its presence without IgG indicates recent infection. fight a new infection.
IgA It is found in high concentrations in the mucous membranes IgA antibodies protect body surfaces that
It is the intermediate made in response to an infection of a are exposed to outside foreign substances.
foreign antigen into plasma.
IgG - The most type of antibodies that found in all body fluids. - protects against bacterial and viral
-It is the major Ig during the secondary immune response. infections.
-It is the only Ig has the ability to cross the placenta in a
pregnant woman to help protect her baby (fetus).
Alterations in Serum Immunoglobulins
1- Hypogammaglobulinemia is a condition characterized by deficiencies of immunoglobulins
 Causes of hypogammaglobulinemia:
1- Physiological causes: due to the decrease levels of IgA, IgM at birth
2- Acquired causes as in Malnutrition, HIV Infections, Treatment by Immunosuppressive drugs
e.g. cyclosporine

2- Hypergammaglobulinemia is a condition characterized by increase in synthesis of Ig.


 Causes of hypergammaglobulinemia:
1- Chronic infections
2- Autoimmune disease
3- Liver cirrhosis
 Classified into 2 types:
1- Diffuse hypergammaglobinemia:
Where all Ig classes are increased.
2- Discrete hypergammaglobinemia:
Where a single Ig is increased.
Albumin/Globulin Ratio
It is the serum A/G ratio which is normally 2/1
In liver hepatitis, the albumin is decreased while globulins are increased and so
the ratio is reversed.

3- Fibrinogen
 Fibrinogen plays an important role in clothing of blood where it is converted
to fibrin by thrombin.
THANK
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