Cellular Respiration A CSI Investigation Today you are

Cellular Respiration: A CSI Investigation

Today you are an intern working with the Crime Scene Investigation division of the Houston Police Department Forensic unit. It’s your first day and you get to assist on a suspected homicide case!

A call is placed to emergency services by a desperately ill woman…

Operator: 911 State your problem Moaning, gasping voice: I am dizzy, I just threw up and I’ve got a terrible headache. Operator: Can you tell me what happened before you began to feel ill? Moaning, gasping voice: My husband gave me a calcium pill before leaving for work and I feel sick, really sick. I think there is, something, terribly wrong. Operator: Stay calm an ambulance is dispatched. Ma’am, are you still with me? (No Response).

What could have caused the woman's death?

• Why do we need to breathe? • What is the importance of oxygen to cells?

HINT: Rule of 3 -3 -3 A human will die within: 3 weeks without food 3 days without H 2 O 3 minutes without O 2

A few days later, the histology report is in! HISTOLOGY REPORT In the histological analysis, specific staining dyes were used to assess cellular damage. Tissue samples from heart, kidney, liver and lung show massive cell death. Heart Kidney Liver Lung

Specific Cellular Staining Indicating Damage to Which Organelle? Does this help? !!!

Considering what you already know about the function of the organelles in the cell, which cellular function was affected in your patient? Protein synthesis? Cellular Respiration? The mitochondria isn’t responsible for manufacturing cellular proteins! YES! Cellular Respiration. You and your team will have to figure out exactly which part.

Since the autopsy report shows massive cell death. What do you think keeps cells alive? RIGHT! Cells need energy to stay alive. Food? Oxygen? Energy? Yes, but she had eaten and she’s still DEAD Yes, but she was gasping for air and she’s still DEAD

What kind of food provides you with energy? Carbohydrates? Fats? Proteins? **

Why do cells need ATP? Where in the cell is ATP synthesized? If glucose is completely oxidized at the end of the citric acid cycle, now what?

ATP ANALYSIS IN DAMAGED HEART CELLS What cellular process/processes do you think are impaired in the woman’s damaged cells? What cellular process produces the maximum ATP in the cell?

Normal vs. Patient Blood Work Results Blood Analysis Normal Range Patient’s Levels White Blood cells(WBC) 4. 1 -10. 9 X 10 6/ml 7. 1 X 106/ml Red Blood cells(WBC) 3. 8 -5. 5 X 10 6/ml 4. 4 X 106/ml Glucose 65 -140 mg/d. L 150 mg/d. L Hemoglobin 12 -16 g/d. L 15 g/d. L Triglyceride 30 -149 mg/d. L 297 mg/d. L Calcium 8. 9 -10. 4 mg/d. L 9. 3 mg/d. L

Heart Tissue Metabolite Levels

Based on this data, what do you now hypothesize caused the woman's death? What does NAD+ have to do with ATP synthesis? Would supplementation with NAD+ have helped save the woman’s life? Explain your reasoning.

FINAL REPORT/GROUP PROJECT Address the following questions in your report: 1. Explain the consequences of blocking the electron transport chain 2. Would a similar block have any effect in a plant or a microorganism? 3. What about a life form that does not require oxygen for survival?