Pathobiochemistry - EAV070X03
Title: Pathobiochemistry
Form of teaching: seminar
Guaranteed by: Department of Medical Chemistry and Biochemistry (14-70)
Faculty: Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen
Actual: from 2026
Duration in semesters: 1
Semester: summer
Points: 10
E-Credits: 10
Examination process: summer s.:
Hours per week, examination: summer s.:30/0, C [HS]
Capacity: unknown / unknown (unknown)
Maximum number of enrolled students: unlimited
Min. number of students: unlimited
4EU+: no
Virtual mobility / capacity: no
Key competences:  
State of the course: taught
Language: English
Teaching methods: full-time
For type:  
Repeated enrollment: 2 / 2 / 2 / 2
Guarantor: prof. MUDr. Radim Černý, CSc.
doc. MUDr. Jaromír Kotyza, CSc.
prof. MUDr. Jaroslav Racek, DrSc.
Comes under: Volitelné předměty, 4. ročník AVSEOB20
Volitelné předměty, 5. ročník AVSEOB
Incompatibility : EA0308056
Interchangeability : EA0308056
Is incompatible with: EA0308056
Is interchangeable with: EA0308056
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Annotation -
Biochemical background of pathological processes. Pathobiochemistry of carbohydrates, lipids, amino acids, nucleotides, and porphyrins. Carcinogenesis and tumor metabolism. Genetic basis of diseases, gene therapy. Disorders of the internal environment and acid-base balance. Disorders of connective tissues. The role of proteolytic enzymes and their inhibitors. Prion diseases. Reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, free radicals.
Last update: Kulda Vlastimil, MUDr., Ph.D. (30.09.2026)
Course completion requirements -

Requirements for credit:

  1. Presence at the lectures (seminars) – two absencies from 14 seminars can be tolerated.
  2. Final test from all discussed topics.

Last update: Kulda Vlastimil, MUDr., Ph.D. (30.09.2026)
Literature -

Murray R.K., Granner D.K., Rodwell V.W.: Harper´s Illustrated Biochemistry, 27th Edition, Lange, McGraw-Hill, 2006

Last update: Kulda Vlastimil, MUDr., Ph.D. (30.09.2026)
Course assessment methods and requirements for successful completion, grading scheme -

Requirements for credit:
1. Presence at the lectures (seminars) – two absencies from 14 seminars can be tolerated
2. Final test from all discussed topics.

Last update: Votípková Vendulka (25.05.2018)
Syllabus -

(1) "Inborn Errors of Metabolism" by Archibald Garrod. Transport defects of amino acids. Hyperoxaluria. Disorders of aromatic amino acids. Molecular mechanism of phenylketonuria (PKU). Pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment of PKU.

(2) Catabolism of purine nucleotides. Metabolic pool of uric acid, excretion of urates. Hyperuricaemia and gout. Feed-back control of purine synthesis and Lesh-Nyhan syndrome. Severe Combined Immunodeficiency Disease (SCID) and the gene therapy. Heme biosynthesis and porphyrias.

(3) Composition of connective tissues. Elastin and collagen structure. Types of collagen. Biosynthesis of collagen molecules and their assembly to collagen fibers. Molecular basis of osteogenesis imperfecta and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. Homocystinuria.

(4) Intracellular degradation of proteins and autophagy. Proteolytic systems. Homeostatic role of peptidases and their inhibitors. Alpha-1-protease inhibitor. Molecular basis of the serpin inhibitory effect. Helix-sheet transition in serpins and prions. Conception of prion diseases.

(5) Carbohydrate metabolism and its regulation. Lactic acidosis. Inborn errors of carbohydrate metabolism: Galactosemia, fructosuria, hereditary fructose intolerance, glycogenoses, pentosuria, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency, transketolase mutation.

(6) Diabetes mellitus type I and type II. Biochemical characterization of diabetes mellitus. DM etiology, role of immune system. Genetic factors of DM I and DM II. Loci IDDM 1 - IDDM 18, NIDDM 1 - NIDDM 12 and their significance.

(7) Lipid metabolism and its regulation. Blood plasma lipoproteins, their characterization. Details in lipoprotein formation and metabolism. Risk factors for atherosclerosis.

(8) Cancerogenesis. Physical, chemical and biological background of cancerogenesis. Oncogenes and antioncogenes. Viruses in oncogenesis. Tumor markers and their significance.

(9) Metabolism of tumors. Glycolysis in tumors, amino acid metabolism abnormalities (asparagine), nucleotide metabolism abnormalities, membrane abnormalities, glycoproteins as tumor markers, chemotherapy based on metabolic abnormalities.

(10) DNA and RNA analysis for diagnostic purposes and for the monitoring of treatment. Detection of mutations. Detection of gene expression, quantification of mRNA production, use of RT PCR, use of micro-arrays.

(11) Gene therapy and cell therapy. Possibilities and examples in gene therapy (adenosine deaminase deficiency - SCID). Stem cells - embryonic and tissue stem cells. Ethical problems in gene and stem cells therapy. Examples of applied therapies.

(12) Water and mineral metabolism. Distribution of water in the organism. Metabolism of sodium and its regulation. Metabolism of potassium and its regulation. Metabolism of calcium and phosphorus and their regulation. Metabolism of magnesium.

(13) Acid-base balance. Conception of acid-base balance. Buffers, function of lungs and kidneys in regulation of acid-base metabolism. Basic terms (acidosis, alkalosis, metabolic and respiratory disorders, compensation). Metabolic acidosis – causes, laboratory changes, ways of compensation. Metabolic alkalosis – causes, laboratory changes, ways of compensation. Respiratory acidosis – causes, laboratory changes, ways of compensation. Respiratory alkalosis – causes, laboratory changes, ways of compensation. Combined disorders of acid-base balance.

(14) Oxidative injury of an organism in pathogenesis of common diseases. Free radicals and reactive species of oxygen (nitrogen, chlorine), their creation in vivo. Substantial and enzymatic antioxidants, their role in oxidative damage and in signal transduction.

Last update: Kulda Vlastimil, MUDr., Ph.D. (30.09.2026)
Learning outcomes -

Knowledge

• Explain the molecular mechanisms of congenital and acquired disorders of amino acid, purine, and pyrimidine metabolism, as well as heme synthesis (porphyrias).

• Describe the pathobiochemical processes leading to the development of diabetes mellitus and metabolic syndrome, including their acute and chronic complications.

• Define the nature of conformational diseases and describe the role of the proteolytic system and its regulation in disease pathogenesis.

• Clarify biochemical changes within the cell during oncogenesis, including the metabolic reprogramming of tumor cells.

• Characterize the composition of connective tissues and the molecular basis of their structural and functional disorders.

Skills

• Interpret laboratory findings in patients with acid-base disturbances (acidosis, alkalosis) and imbalances in water and mineral metabolism.

• Analyze deviations in energy and carbohydrate metabolism based on biochemical parameters.

• Differentiate between various types of metabolic disturbances affecting the internal environment.

Competencies

• Integrate theoretical biochemical knowledge with the pathophysiological manifestations of specific diseases encountered in clinical practice.

Last update: Kulda Vlastimil, MUDr., Ph.D. (30.09.2026)