Biomaterial Database

Urea-cycle disorders as a paradigm for inborn errors of hepatocyte metabolism. 2002

Asad Mian, and Brendan Lee

Dept of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA.

Urea-cycle disorders (UCDs) are a group of inborn errors of hepatocyte metabolism that are caused by the loss of enzymes involved in the process of transferring nitrogen from ammonia to urea, via the urea cycle (UC). Recent genetic analyses of inherited disorders that present with hyperammonemia demonstrate the function of cellular transporters that regulate the availability of UC intermediates. The regulation of UC intermediates, such as arginine, could have far reaching implications on nitric-oxide synthesis and vascular tone. Hence, each UCD and UC-related disorder constitutes a unique gene-nutrient interaction that is crucial for postnatal homeostasis. Recent advances in the diagnosis and management of UCDs include the application of in vivo metabolic-flux measurements. Cumulative morbidity is still high despite dietary and pharmacological therapies and, hence, both cell and gene therapies are being pursued as possible long-term corrective treatments. Although gene-replacement therapy has suffered recent clinical setbacks, new vector developments offer hope for the treatment of cell-autonomous defects of hepatocyte metabolism.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008661	Metabolism, Inborn Errors	Errors in metabolic processes resulting from inborn genetic mutations that are inherited or acquired in utero.	Inborn Errors of Metabolism,Metabolism Errors, Inborn,Error, Inborn Metabolism,Errors Metabolism, Inborn,Errors Metabolisms, Inborn,Errors, Inborn Metabolism,Inborn Errors Metabolism,Inborn Errors Metabolisms,Inborn Metabolism Error,Inborn Metabolism Errors,Metabolism Error, Inborn,Metabolism Inborn Error,Metabolism Inborn Errors,Metabolisms, Inborn Errors
D004035	Diet Therapy	Adjusting the quantity and quality of food intake to improve health status of an individual. This term does not include the methods of food intake (NUTRITIONAL SUPPORT).	Diet Therapy, Restrictive,Dietary Modification,Dietary Restriction,Restriction Diet Therapies,Restriction Diet Therapy,Restrictive Diet Therapies,Restrictive Diet Therapy,Diet Modification,Therapy, Diet,Diet Modifications,Diet Therapies,Diet Therapies, Restriction,Diet Therapy, Restriction,Dietary Modifications,Dietary Restrictions,Modification, Diet,Modification, Dietary,Restriction, Dietary,Therapy, Restriction Diet,Therapy, Restrictive Diet
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D014508	Urea	A compound formed in the liver from ammonia produced by the deamination of amino acids. It is the principal end product of protein catabolism and constitutes about one half of the total urinary solids.	Basodexan,Carbamide,Carmol
D015316	Genetic Therapy	Techniques and strategies which include the use of coding sequences and other conventional or radical means to transform or modify cells for the purpose of treating or reversing disease conditions.	Gene Therapy,Somatic Gene Therapy,DNA Therapy,Gene Therapy, Somatic,Genetic Therapy, Gametic,Genetic Therapy, Somatic,Therapy, DNA,Therapy, Gene,Therapy, Somatic Gene,Gametic Genetic Therapies,Gametic Genetic Therapy,Genetic Therapies,Genetic Therapies, Gametic,Genetic Therapies, Somatic,Somatic Genetic Therapies,Somatic Genetic Therapy,Therapies, Gametic Genetic,Therapies, Genetic,Therapies, Somatic Genetic,Therapy, Gametic Genetic,Therapy, Genetic,Therapy, Somatic Genetic
D022781	Hepatocytes	The main structural component of the LIVER. They are specialized EPITHELIAL CELLS that are organized into interconnected plates called lobules.	Hepatic Cells,Cell, Hepatic,Cells, Hepatic,Hepatic Cell,Hepatocyte
D064987	Cell- and Tissue-Based Therapy	Therapies that involve the TRANSPLANTATION of CELLS or TISSUES developed for the purpose of restoring the function of diseased or dysfunctional cells or tissues.	Cell Therapy,Tissue Therapy,Therapy, Cell,Therapy, Tissue,Cell and Tissue Based Therapy