Related Experiment Videos

Cyanidin is an agonistic ligand for peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-alpha reducing hepatic lipid

Yaoyao Jia1, Jin-Young Kim, Hee-Jin Jun

  • 1Department of Biotechnology, the Graduate School of Biotechnology, Korea University, Seoul 136-713, Republic of Korea.

Related Concept Videos

Peroxisomes01:24

Peroxisomes

Peroxisomes are specialized organelles present in fungi, plant, and animal cells. It can vary in number, size, morphology, and activity depending on the type of tissue and the nutritional state of the cell. For example, cells with active lipid metabolism, such as adipocytes, neurons, and hepatocytes, have more peroxisomes than other cells in the body. Besides their primary role in breaking down complex organic molecules, peroxisomes can also synthesize specific macromolecules and participate in...
Peroxisomes and Mitochondria01:30

Peroxisomes and Mitochondria

Peroxisomes and mitochondria are two important oxygen-utilizing organelles in eukaryotic cells. Mitochondria carry out cellular respiration—the process that converts energy from food into ATP. Peroxisomes carry out a variety of functions, primarily breaking down different substances, such as fatty acids.
The peroxisome is a single membrane-bound cellular organelle that can perform several different functions, including lipid metabolism and chemical detoxification. The enzymes within peroxisomes...
GPCRs Regulate Adenylyl Cylase Activity01:09

GPCRs Regulate Adenylyl Cylase Activity

Some GPCRs transmit signals through adenylyl cyclase (AC), a transmembrane enzyme. AC helps synthesize second messenger cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP). AC catalyzes cyclization reaction and converts ATP to cAMP by releasing a pyrophosphate. The pyrophosphate is further hydrolyzed to phosphate by the enzyme pyrophosphatase, which drives cAMP synthesis to completion. However, cAMP is rapidly degraded to 5′ AMP by the enzymes phosphodiesterase (PDE), preventing overstimulation of cells.
Two...
Transducer Mechanism: Nuclear Receptors01:31

Transducer Mechanism: Nuclear Receptors

Nuclear receptors, or NRs, are unique transcription factors that regulate gene transcription and affect the cellular pathways involved in reproduction, development, or metabolism. Their ability to be stimulated by small lipophilic ligands and control vital cellular processes makes them ideal drug targets. Nearly 10-15% of currently prescribed drugs target these receptors.
About 48 different soluble family members of nuclear receptors are identified that can be divided into two main classes:
Drug Metabolism: Phase I Reactions01:17

Drug Metabolism: Phase I Reactions

A phase I reaction is a biochemical process that introduces a functionally reactive polar group to a substance. This transformation predominantly occurs in the liver, facilitated by the cytochrome P450 system of hemoproteins situated in the lipophilic endoplasmic reticulum of cells. The metabolite generated through this process can have varying polarities. If it is sufficiently polar, it can be easily excreted in the urine due to its water compatibility. However, if the metabolite is nonpolar,...
Oxidation of Phenols to Quinones01:17

Oxidation of Phenols to Quinones

In the presence of oxidizing agents, phenols are oxidized to quinones. Quinones can be easily reduced back to phenols using mild reducing agents. The electron-donating hydroxyl group enhances the reactivity of the aromatic ring, enabling oxidation of the ring even in the absence of an α hydrogen.
o-hydroxy phenols are oxidized to o-quinones and p-hydroxy phenols to p-quinones. Such redox reactions involve the transfer of two electrons and two protons. The reversible redox property is crucial in...