Lactate is formed when pyruvate is transformed under anaerob

Lactate is formed when pyruvate is transformed under anaerobic conditions. Think about the amount of pyruvate being formed if glycolysis is not being completed.

You are shadowing Dr. Lucy Smith, an internal medicine physician who specializes in metabolic diseases. The first patient you see, Sarah, is suffering from shortness of breath, anemia, and easy tiring during exercise. Dr. Smith tells you that these symptoms are consistent with a defect in glycolysis. As one test of this hypothesis, Dr. Smith decides to perform an ischemic exercise test. In an ischemic exercise test, a cuff is placed on the patient\'s upper arm. After a baseline sample of blood is drawn, the cuff is inflated above systolic blood pressure. The patient squeezes a bulb every few seconds to the point that muscle pain is induced. During the exercise period, blood is drawn at regular intervals. This test is an ischemic exercise test because the patient is doing exercise (of the forearm) under ischemic, or anaerobic, conditions. After the test, lactate concentration in the blood samples is measured. What result would you expect to see if Sarah has a defect that inhibits glycolysis?

Lactate is formed when pyruvate is transformed under anaerobic conditions. Think about the amount of pyruvate being formed if glycolysis is not being completed.

Ix Lactate is formed when pyruvate is transformed under anaerobic conditions. Think about the amount of pyruvate being formed if glycolysis is not being completed. You are shadowing Dr. Lucy Smith, an internal medicine physician who specializes in metabolic diseases. The first patient you see, Sarah, is suffering from shortness of breath, anemia, and easy tiring during exercise. Dr. Smith tells you that these symptoms are consistent with a defect in glycolysis. As one test of this hypothesis, Dr. Smith decides to perform an ischemic exercise test. In an ischemic exercise test, a cuff is placed on the patient\'s upper arm. After a baseline sample of blood is drawn, the cuff is inflated above systolic blood pressure. The patient squeezes a bulb every few seconds to the point that muscle pain is induced. During the exercise period, blood is drawn at regular intervals. This test is an ischemic exercise test because the patient is doing exercise (of the forearm) under ischemic, or anaerobic, conditions. After the test, lactate concentration in the blood samples is measured. What result would you expect to see if Sarah has a defect that inhibits glycolysis? o Sarah\'s lactate concentration dramatically increases during her exercise time while the control subject\'s lactate level does not change There is no difference in lactate level between Sarah and the control subject. Sarah\'s lactate concentration decreases during her exercise time while the control subject\'s lactate level remains the same Sarah\'s lactate level does not rise while the control subject experiences a dramatic increase.

Solution

d) Sarah\'s lactate level does not rise while the control subject experiences a dramatic increase.

Lactate is a by-product of anaerobic glycolysis. If glycolysis is inhibited, no lactate will be produced, but the control subject can perform glycolysis, so lactate concentration increases.