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Biomedical subjects

C Gallacher

Publications and source records attributed to C Gallacher.

4 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2000

Effects of growth hormone treatment on red cell plasma membrane fatty acid constituents in hypopituitary adults.

The effects of replacement with recombinant human GH (hGH) on red cell plasma membrane fatty acid and cholesterol constituents were assessed in nine adult patients with growth hormone deficiency. They were treated with hGH in a dose of 0.125 U.kg-1.wk-1 for four weeks and at 0.25 U.kg-1.wk-1 thereafter for an overall mean duration 13.5 +/- 3.9 months (mean +/- SD). The relative proportions of the various phospholipid fatty acid constituents and the proportion of cholesterol in the phospholipid bilayer were assayed every six months. At the end of the study, the percentage of arachadonic acid (20:4) in membrane phospholipid was found to rise by an average of 3.7% (P < 0.05) and there appeared to be a nonsignificant trend showing an increase in highly unsaturated fatty acids, namely linoleate (18:2) and gamma linolenic acid (18:3) and a corresponding decrease in unsaturated fatty acids, namely palmitate (16:0) and stearate (18:0) and monounsaturated fatty acids such as palmitoleic acid (16:1), oleic acid (18:1) and oleic acid isomer (18:1 iso). In addition, the proportion of cholesterol in the plasma membrane i.e. the cholesterol/phospholipid ratio was found to decrease by 0.84% (P < 0.05). There was a significant increase in HbAlc from 4.85 +/- 0.51 to 4.94 +/- 0.45% (P < 0.01) by the end of the study.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Cholesterol absorption by the gall bladder.

Model and real biles were used to investigate factors influencing cholesterol and dextran (70,000 molecular weight) absorption by the gall bladder. Cholesterol absorption was proportional to cholesterol concentration when real bile was used, but model biles showed maximal absorption at cholesterol saturation. Reduction of temperature reduced cholesterol absorption and serosal secretion, but had little effect on dextran absorption. This indicates differences in uptake where cholesterol undergoes passive diffusion but dextran is taken up by fluid-phase endocytosis. Model bile prepared with a single bile salt showed lowest cholesterol uptake from cholate bile, but there was no difference in serosal secretion. Dextran uptake was also lowest from cholate bile, although serosal secretion was highest. These results show that an increase in the biliary content of dihydroxy bile salts increases gall bladder permeability to both hydrophobic and hydrophilic molecules and may lead to the accumulation of lipids in the mucosa, as seen in cholesterolosis.

Absorption↗
PubMed1988

Absorption of 'non-absorbable' markers and an improved method for determining cholesterol absorption rates.

The determination of uptake rates for lipids across absorptive epithelia, using radiolabelled compounds has normally used non-absorbable volume markers to correct gross tissue counts for contamination by adherent mucosal fluid. There is evidence however to indicate that the macromolecules traditionally used as non-absorbable markers are in fact absorbed. This may result in an overestimate of the apparent adherent mucosal fluid with consequent errors in the calculation of lipid uptake. An in-vitro method was used to assess cholesterol absorption by human gallbladder from artificial bile, containing 3H-dextran 70,000 as a 'non-absorbable' volume marker. Both cholesterol and dextran were transported through the mucosa and appeared on the serosal side of the gallbladder. Confirmation of dextran absorption was obtained by electron microscopic examination of the gallbladder epithelium. By using the serosal appearance of dextran as a guide to the amount of absorbed (intracellular) dextran in the tissue samples, we have derived a formula to calculate tissue dextran absorption and, from the revised adherent mucosal volume, have consequently obtained more realistic estimates of tissue lipid uptake. In this study, comparison made between the previous estimate of lipid uptake compared to this new calculation, showed that the previous technique significantly underestimated true lipid uptake.

Absorption↗