Basics introduction of biochemistry

1. Introduction to
Biochemistry
Prepared by: Hareem Qadeer
1 and 2

2. Biochemistry
Biochemistry refers to study of chemical processes and substances within
the living organisms at molecular level.
Example of chemical processes:
1. Glycolysis: The process of breaking down glucose into pyruvate,
yielding energy in the form of ATP.
2. Enzyme Catalysis: refers to the acceleration of a chemical reaction
by a protein called an enzyme.
Example of chemical substances:
3. Hormones: These are chemical messengers that regulate various
physiological processes. For instance, insulin is a hormone that helps
regulate blood sugar levels.
4. Nucleic Acids: These are molecules like DNA and RNA that store and
transmit genetic information. DNA holds the instructions for building
proteins, while RNA is involved in protein synthesis.

3. Introduction to Clinical Biochemistry in
Medical Laboratory Technology
 Clinical Biochemistry is that branch of laboratory medicine in which chemical
and biochemical methods are applied to the study of disease.
 Clinical biochemistry plays a crucial role in the identification and monitoring
of disease.
 By measuring the levels of biochemical markers in bodily fluids, healthcare
professionals can detect the presence of disease, monitor its progression, and
evaluate the effectiveness of treatments.
 It provides students with advanced knowledge of biochemical basis of disease,
specialized laboratory testing and associated analytical methods and
interpretation and communication of biochemical data as applied in the
current clinical biochemistry laboratory.
 Clinical Biochemistry: is the application part of Biochemistry for diagnosis
of the clinical condition by determining various constituents in different
body fluids.

4. Purpose of Clinical Chemistry Tests
 Modern day medical practice is highly dependent on the laboratory
analysis of body fluids, especially the blood. The disease
manifestations are reflected in the composition of blood and other
tissues.
 Determination can be qualitative or quantitative.
 Quantitative determination of urea and creatinine in blood and urine
help in the assessment of kidney functioning.
 Determination inorganic substances like Na, K, Ca, Cl…etc. or maybe
enzymes or hormones in order to diagnose a disease by many methods
as manual, kit and automated.