I am a Licensed Practical Nurse with five years' experience in this profession. I believe it is essential to go back to the basics in all things in order to really understand them. I am fascinated by how our bodies work and I hope I can get my readers to share my fascination. I hope we all learn new things and marvel again at the things we already know. This feature -- which includes a closing section on how disease affects the topic in question -- will run on The Cancer Blog on Wednesdays, and The Cardio Blog and The Diabetes Blog on Thursdays. [The contents in this post are for informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice or substitute for professional medical care.]

We start with the cell, because so much of what happens to us when we get sick, and how we get healthy again, can be explained by what happens on a cellular level. The cell is extremely complex and I will only touch on the basics in these posts, but at least we can have a rudimentary understanding.

We have discussed cell membranes (May 24), as well as cell organelles (May 31). On , June 7,we discussed the cellular transport mechanisms and on June 14, we discussed the cell nucleus. On June 21 we discussed cell division and today we will end the series on the cell with a short look at protein synthesis.

Although cells synthesize many chemicals to maintain homeostasis, they are mainly devoted to synthesizing large numbers of proteins. Proteins are used as enzymes and as structural materials in the cells. Many proteins are retained in the cell for intracellular use. Some proteins are used to assemble cellular structures such as the plasma membrane, the cytoskeleton and other organelles. There are many specialized human proteins that are exported and function in cellular activities. For example, protein makes up the hormone insulin, the ligaments and tendons of joints, the hair, skin, and nails of the body.

The instructions for making proteins are found mainly in the DNA in the nucleus. For protein synthesis to occur, there are several essential materials that must be present: a supply of the 20 different amino acids, a series of enzymes, DNA, and ribonucleic acid (RNA). The information encoded in a region of DNA is first copied to produce a specific molecule of RNA. Then the information contained in the RNA is translated into a corresponding sequence of amino acids that forms the protein molecule. The code for a single amino acid consists of three bases in the DNA molecule: this triplet of bases may be called a codon. The genetic code is the set of rules that regulate the base triplet sequence of DNA to the corresponding codons of RNA and the amino acids they specify. If there is a mistake in the DNA, that is, incorrect bases or triplets of bases, this mistake will be copied. The result is the formation of a malfunctioning or non-functioning protein. This is called a genetic or hereditary disease.

How does this affect you?
Studies such as one that looked at the correlation between the rate of protein synthesis and hypertrophy in kidney cells help us have a better understanding of diabetes and its effects.