Biomaterial Database

Ultrastructural features of human galactosaemic fibroblasts: effects of different nutritional environments. 1976

J B Johnson, and P D Noguchi, and J C Petricciani

The ultrastructural characteristics of galactosaemic human fibroblasts exposed to media with various sugars were compared. Considerations of known biochemical pathways suggested that cells without the galactokinase enzyme and exposed to galactose would be functionally equivalent to cells in a medium without any sugar source. We found the ultrastructural characteristics of such cells to be consistent with that hypothesis. In addition, we unexpectedly found that homozygous galactosaemic fibroblasts, exposed to medium with glucose as the energy source, showed evidence of degeneration, such as autophagic vacuoles. Degenerative changes were not found in fibroblasts heterozygous for the galactokinase enzyme exposed to glucose. The implications and uses of these findings are discussed.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D010770	Phosphotransferases	A rather large group of enzymes comprising not only those transferring phosphate but also diphosphate, nucleotidyl residues, and others. These have also been subdivided according to the acceptor group. (From Enzyme Nomenclature, 1992) EC 2.7.	Kinases,Phosphotransferase,Phosphotransferases, ATP,Transphosphorylase,Transphosphorylases,Kinase,ATP Phosphotransferases
D002478	Cells, Cultured	Cells propagated in vitro in special media conducive to their growth. Cultured cells are used to study developmental, morphologic, metabolic, physiologic, and genetic processes, among others.	Cultured Cells,Cell, Cultured,Cultured Cell
D005347	Fibroblasts	Connective tissue cells which secrete an extracellular matrix rich in collagen and other macromolecules.	Fibroblast
D005690	Galactose	An aldohexose that occurs naturally in the D-form in lactose, cerebrosides, gangliosides, and mucoproteins. Deficiency of galactosyl-1-phosphate uridyltransferase (GALACTOSE-1-PHOSPHATE URIDYL-TRANSFERASE DEFICIENCY DISEASE) causes an error in galactose metabolism called GALACTOSEMIA, resulting in elevations of galactose in the blood.	D-Galactose,Galactopyranose,Galactopyranoside,D Galactose
D005693	Galactosemias	A group of inherited enzyme deficiencies which feature elevations of GALACTOSE in the blood. This condition may be associated with deficiencies of GALACTOKINASE; UDPGLUCOSE-HEXOSE-1-PHOSPHATE URIDYLYLTRANSFERASE; or UDPGLUCOSE 4-EPIMERASE. The classic form is caused by UDPglucose-Hexose-1-Phosphate Uridylyltransferase deficiency, and presents in infancy with FAILURE TO THRIVE; VOMITING; and INTRACRANIAL HYPERTENSION. Affected individuals also may develop MENTAL RETARDATION; JAUNDICE; hepatosplenomegaly; ovarian failure (PRIMARY OVARIAN INSUFFICIENCY); and cataracts. (From Menkes, Textbook of Child Neurology, 5th ed, pp61-3)	Galactokinase Deficiency Disease,Galactose-1-Phosphate Uridyl-Transferase Deficiency Disease,UDPglucose 4-Epimerase Deficiency Disease,Classic Galactosemia,Deficiency Disease, Galactokinase,Deficiency Disease, Galactose-1-Phosphate Uridyl-Transferase,Deficiency Disease, UDP-Galactose-4-Epimerase,Deficiency Disease, UDPglucose 4-Epimerase,Epimerase Deficiency Galactosemia,GALE Deficiency,GALK Deficiency,GALT Deficiency,Galactokinase Deficiency,Galactose Epimerase Deficiency,Galactose-1-Phosphate Uridyltransferase Deficiency,Galactose-1-Phosphate Uridylyltransferase Deficiency,Galactosemia,Galactosemia 2,Galactosemia 3,Galactosemia III,Galactosemia, Classic,Hereditary Galactokinase Deficiency,UDP-Galactose-4-Epimerase Deficiency,UDP-Galactose-4-Epimerase Deficiency Disease,UDPGlucose Hexose-1-Phosphate Uridylyltransferase Deficiency,UTP Hexose-1-Phosphate Uridylyltransferase Deficiency,UTP-Hexose-1-Phosphate Uridylyltransferase Deficiency Disease,Classic Galactosemias,Deficiencies, GALE,Deficiencies, GALK,Deficiencies, GALT,Deficiencies, Galactokinase,Deficiencies, Galactose Epimerase,Deficiencies, Galactose-1-Phosphate Uridyltransferase,Deficiencies, Galactose-1-Phosphate Uridylyltransferase,Deficiencies, Hereditary Galactokinase,Deficiencies, UDP-Galactose-4-Epimerase,Deficiency Disease, Galactose 1 Phosphate Uridyl Transferase,Deficiency Disease, UDP Galactose 4 Epimerase,Deficiency Disease, UDPglucose 4 Epimerase,Deficiency Diseases, UDP-Galactose-4-Epimerase,Deficiency Galactosemia, Epimerase,Deficiency Galactosemias, Epimerase,Deficiency, GALE,Deficiency, GALK,Deficiency, GALT,Deficiency, Galactokinase,Deficiency, Galactose Epimerase,Deficiency, Galactose-1-Phosphate Uridyltransferase,Deficiency, Galactose-1-Phosphate Uridylyltransferase,Deficiency, Hereditary Galactokinase,Deficiency, UDP-Galactose-4-Epimerase,Epimerase Deficiency Galactosemias,GALE Deficiencies,GALK Deficiencies,GALT Deficiencies,Galactokinase Deficiencies,Galactokinase Deficiencies, Hereditary,Galactokinase Deficiency Diseases,Galactokinase Deficiency, Hereditary,Galactose 1 Phosphate Uridyl Transferase Deficiency Disease,Galactose 1 Phosphate Uridyltransferase Deficiency,Galactose 1 Phosphate Uridylyltransferase Deficiency,Galactose Epimerase Deficiencies,Galactose-1-Phosphate Uridyltransferase Deficiencies,Galactose-1-Phosphate Uridylyltransferase Deficiencies,Galactosemia 2s,Galactosemia 3s,Galactosemia IIIs,Galactosemia, Epimerase Deficiency,Galactosemias, Classic,Galactosemias, Epimerase Deficiency,Hereditary Galactokinase Deficiencies,UDP Galactose 4 Epimerase Deficiency,UDP Galactose 4 Epimerase Deficiency Disease,UDP-Galactose-4-Epimerase Deficiencies,UDP-Galactose-4-Epimerase Deficiency Diseases,UDPGlucose Hexose 1 Phosphate Uridylyltransferase Deficiency,UDPglucose 4 Epimerase Deficiency Disease,UTP Hexose 1 Phosphate Uridylyltransferase Deficiency,UTP Hexose 1 Phosphate Uridylyltransferase Deficiency Disease,Uridyltransferase Deficiencies, Galactose-1-Phosphate,Uridyltransferase Deficiency, Galactose-1-Phosphate,Uridylyltransferase Deficiencies, Galactose-1-Phosphate,Uridylyltransferase Deficiency, Galactose-1-Phosphate
D005694	UTP-Hexose-1-Phosphate Uridylyltransferase	An enzyme that catalyzes the synthesis of UDPgalactose from UTP and galactose-1-phosphate. It is present in low levels in fetal and infant liver, but increases with age, thereby enabling galactosemic infants who survive to develop the capacity to metabolize galactose. EC 2.7.7.10.	Galactosephosphate Uridylyltransferase,UDP Galactose Pyrophosphorylase,Galactose-1-Phosphate Uridyltransferase,Galactose 1 Phosphate Uridyltransferase,Galactose Pyrophosphorylase, UDP,Pyrophosphorylase, UDP Galactose,UTP Hexose 1 Phosphate Uridylyltransferase,Uridyltransferase, Galactose-1-Phosphate,Uridylyltransferase, Galactosephosphate,Uridylyltransferase, UTP-Hexose-1-Phosphate
D005947	Glucose	A primary source of energy for living organisms. It is naturally occurring and is found in fruits and other parts of plants in its free state. It is used therapeutically in fluid and nutrient replacement.	Dextrose,Anhydrous Dextrose,D-Glucose,Glucose Monohydrate,Glucose, (DL)-Isomer,Glucose, (alpha-D)-Isomer,Glucose, (beta-D)-Isomer,D Glucose,Dextrose, Anhydrous,Monohydrate, Glucose
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D001329	Autolysis	The spontaneous disintegration of tissues or cells by the action of their own autogenous enzymes.	Autolyses
D014617	Vacuoles	Any spaces or cavities within a cell. They may function in digestion, storage, secretion, or excretion.	Vacuole