“Cellular Metabolism and Disease” by DeBerardinis et al. Essay

Exclusively available on Available only on IvyPanda® Made by Human No AI

Summary

In the article “Cellular Metabolism and Disease: What Do Metabolic Outliers Teach Us?,” DeBerardinis and Thompson (2012), provide a comprehensive overview of the role of three different types of metabolism (catabolism, anabolism, and waste disposal) in biological and physiological pathways in the human body, their relationships with cellular processes, and contribution to the development of multiple diseases. The researchers observe that since cellular functions are deeply interrelated with metabolism, any metabolic abnormality can have a ripple effect extending to other systems and may have a very long reach, often triggering disease progression.

Nowadays, researchers and scientists are aware of multiple heritable metabolic abnormalities and anomalies, which induce such conditions as alkaptonuria, albinism, and others. Inborn errors of metabolism affect almost every single biochemical pathway and organ system in the body. Therefore, they may result in a wide range of phenotypes embracing “clinically silent abnormalities in metabolite abundance, chronic/progressive accumulation of toxic macromolecules, and severe, acutely life-threatening states of bioenergetic catastrophe” (DeBerardinis & Thompson, 2012, p. 5). DeBerardinis and Thompson (2012) consider that in a similar way, metabolic errors may provoke such diseases as cancer because clinical research continues to reveal the abundance of glucose and lactate in tissues affected by tumors. It means that cancer may be regarded as one of the vivid examples of diseases defined by genetic, pathological metabolic distortions, which contribute to malignant transformations and growth of tumors.

The summarized study demonstrates that metabolism is largely defined by genetic factors. Since more and more evidence showing its connection to the development of diseases appears, new ways of disease prevention, early diagnosis (e.g., through metabolic imaging), and treatment can be developed in the future. It is valid to presume that these new technologies will be created on the junction of such a procedure as metabolic profiling and genomic studies.

Commentary

The evidence provided by DeBerardinis and Thompson (2012) in their article can relate to the experience of many individuals. Even though people may not be aware of a significant role of sound metabolism in the maintenance of their health, even a slight look into its nature can reveal the truth of this essential process. I first became familiar with the effects of metabolic perturbations on health when one of my family members was diagnosed with diabetes type 2. After this, a long-term investigation of the disorder and factors contributing to it commenced. It became apparent that abnormal glucose metabolism is one of the major processes of triggering diabetes development. An obvious conclusion made based on this finding relates to the fact that diabetes can be prevented through the maintenance of proper carbohydrate metabolism in the body, i.e., through healthy nutrition and dieting.

The study by DeBerardinis and Thompson (2012) implies that, although not in every disease the influence of metabolic perturbations on its progression is as clear as in diabetes, many of the conditions can be controlled through the improvement of metabolism in a particular organ system or the body as a whole. The data discussed by the researcher prompts some promising topics for research because by investigating the part in which metabolic mechanisms take place, the occurrence of multiple disorders may be life-changing for many individuals with conditions that are difficult to cure nowadays. For instance, I have recently learned that fibromyalgia involves hundreds of abnormalities in catabolism. At the same time, many people with this diagnosis remain undertreated due to widespread uncertainty regarding its nature. Thus, further research of underlying metabolic anomalies in fibromyalgia or any other disease may consequently help improve the quality of life of thousands of people and return them to normal life in the future as new methods of treatment will be introduced to clinical practice.

More related papers Related Essay Examples
Cite This paper
You're welcome to use this sample in your assignment. Be sure to cite it correctly

Reference

IvyPanda. (2020, September 18). "Cellular Metabolism and Disease" by DeBerardinis et al. https://ivypanda.com/essays/cellular-metabolism-and-disease-by-deberardinis-et-al/

Work Cited

""Cellular Metabolism and Disease" by DeBerardinis et al." IvyPanda, 18 Sept. 2020, ivypanda.com/essays/cellular-metabolism-and-disease-by-deberardinis-et-al/.

References

IvyPanda. (2020) '"Cellular Metabolism and Disease" by DeBerardinis et al'. 18 September.

References

IvyPanda. 2020. ""Cellular Metabolism and Disease" by DeBerardinis et al." September 18, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/cellular-metabolism-and-disease-by-deberardinis-et-al/.

1. IvyPanda. ""Cellular Metabolism and Disease" by DeBerardinis et al." September 18, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/cellular-metabolism-and-disease-by-deberardinis-et-al/.


Bibliography


IvyPanda. ""Cellular Metabolism and Disease" by DeBerardinis et al." September 18, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/cellular-metabolism-and-disease-by-deberardinis-et-al/.

If, for any reason, you believe that this content should not be published on our website, please request its removal.
Updated:
This academic paper example has been carefully picked, checked and refined by our editorial team.
No AI was involved: only quilified experts contributed.
You are free to use it for the following purposes:
  • To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
  • As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
  • As a template for you assignment
Privacy Settings

IvyPanda uses cookies and similar technologies to enhance your experience, enabling functionalities such as:

  • Basic site functions
  • Ensuring secure, safe transactions
  • Secure account login
  • Remembering account, browser, and regional preferences
  • Remembering privacy and security settings
  • Analyzing site traffic and usage
  • Personalized search, content, and recommendations
  • Displaying relevant, targeted ads on and off IvyPanda

Please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy for detailed information.

Required Cookies & Technologies
Always active

Certain technologies we use are essential for critical functions such as security and site integrity, account authentication, security and privacy preferences, internal site usage and maintenance data, and ensuring the site operates correctly for browsing and transactions.

Site Customization

Cookies and similar technologies are used to enhance your experience by:

  • Remembering general and regional preferences
  • Personalizing content, search, recommendations, and offers

Some functions, such as personalized recommendations, account preferences, or localization, may not work correctly without these technologies. For more details, please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy.

Personalized Advertising

To enable personalized advertising (such as interest-based ads), we may share your data with our marketing and advertising partners using cookies and other technologies. These partners may have their own information collected about you. Turning off the personalized advertising setting won't stop you from seeing IvyPanda ads, but it may make the ads you see less relevant or more repetitive.

Personalized advertising may be considered a "sale" or "sharing" of the information under California and other state privacy laws, and you may have the right to opt out. Turning off personalized advertising allows you to exercise your right to opt out. Learn more in IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy.

1 / 1