Biochemistry and Metabolism

Code:

M123

Acronym:

BM

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Medicine

Instance: 2024/2025 - 2S (of 17-02-2025 to 13-06-2025)

Active?	Yes
Responsible unit:	Molecular Biology
Course/CS Responsible:	Integrated Masters Degree in Medicine

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
MIM	187	Official Study Plan	1	-	3	28	81

Teaching language

Portuguese

Objectives

Cellular metabolism is an integrated set of chemical reactions that aims to produce energy and to use it to synthesise the building blocks for protein, lipid and carbohydrate production. The Biochemistry and Metabolism subject aims at studying the cellular metabolism and the molecular mechanisms underlying its regulation, as well as the signal transduction pathways used to receive, process, amplify and integrate extracellular signals. The student must be able to recognize and explain the function of metabolic pathways, relate digestion and the production and storage of energy with food composition, relate the mechanisms of metabolic regulation by hormones, retro-inhibition and other mechanisms with energy and metabolites requirements, recognize and explain the molecular bases of metabolic homeostasis mechanisms, co-relate the metabolic pathways with the molecular bases, diagnosis and treatment of diseases, and actively participate in the resolution of problems.

Learning outcomes and competences

It is expected that the student taking this course learns the basic principles of primary metabolism, and knows the most important interrelationships between different pathways. Also, the student should be able describe the most important regulatory mechanisms of these biochemcial pathways in both health and disease. 

Working method

Presencial

Program

Theoretical-practical classes: Carbohydrate metabolism – Glycolysis and its regulation. Lactic acid fermentation. The glycerol-phosphate shuttle and the malate-aspartate shuttle. Glycogen metabolism and gluconeogenesis. The pentose-phosphate pathway. Hormonal regulation: the molecular mechanism of action of insulin, glucagon and epinephrine. Insulin-dependent and –independent Diabetes Mellitus. Metabolism of galactose, fructose and ethanol. Galactosemia, fructosuria, hereditary fructose intolerance and alcoholism. Bioenergetics – the complex pyruvate dehydrogenase and the Krebs cycle. Allosteric regulation and hormonal regulation. Oxidative phosphorylation. Inhibitors and uncouplers. Lipid metabolism – Digestion and absorption of lipids. Lipolysis and beta-oxidation of fatty acids. Synthesis and energetic role of ketone bodies. Synthesis of fatty acids. Biosynthesis of glycerophospholipids and sphingolipids. Biosynthesis of cholesterol. Primary and secondary bile acids. Lipoproteins. Hypercholesteremia. Integration of lipid metabolism. Aminoacid metabolism – Aminotransferases and glutamate dehydrogenase. Biosynthesis of non-essential aminoacids. Catabolism of aminoacids. The urea cycle and its regulation. Ammonia toxicity. Conversion of aminoacids to specialized products – HEME, melanine, hormones, neurotransmitters and nitric oxide. Porphyria and jaundice. 

Exercises: Carbohydrate metabolism - ischemic exercise: lactic acidosis and deficiency in phosphofrutokinase. Insulin-dependent Diabetes mellitus. Glucose tolerance test. Gluconeogenesis: inhibition by ethanol. Fructose intolerance. Glycogen storage diseases. The central role of pyruvate; consequences of mutations in pyruvate carboxylase. Bioenergetics - Uncouplers and inhibitors of the oxidative phosphorylation. Lipid metabolism – Lipolysis and beta-oxidation - the carnitine system. The deficiency in MCAD. The propionyl-CoA carboxylase. The deficiency in vitamin B12. The familial hipercholesterolemia. Other lipid disorders (e.g., Wolman disease). Aminoacid metabolism - Deficiency in the urea cycle and ammonia toxicity. Phenilketonuria. 

Mandatory literature

Devlin Thomas M. 340; Textbook of biochemistry with clinical correlations. ISBN: 978-0-470-28173-4
David L. Nelson, Michael M. Cox; Lehninger principles of biochemistry, W.H. Freeman, 2008. ISBN: 978-0-7167-7108-1

Complementary Bibliography

Jeremy M. Berg, John L. Tymoczko, Lubert Stryer; Biochemistry, W. H. Freeman, 2007. ISBN: ISBN: 0-7167-8724-5

Teaching methods and learning activities

Lectures and Problem based learning

Evaluation Type

Evaluation with final exam

Assessment Components

Designation	Weight (%)
Exame	100,00
Total:	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

Designation	Time (hours)
Estudo autónomo	28,00
Frequência das aulas	28,00
Total:	56,00

Eligibility for exams

In accordance with the law: presence in 3/4 of the practical classrooms. 

Calculation formula of final grade

Grade in final exam

Special assessment (TE, DA, ...)

As specified by the Pedagogic council

Classification improvement

As specified by the Pedagogic council