Chapter 4, Problem 4.8PS

Malfunctions at the Organelle Level. Each of the following medical problems involves a malfunction of an organelle or other cell structure. In each case, identify the organelle or structure involved, and indicate whether it is likely to be underactive or overactive.

(a) A girl inadvertently consumes cyanide and dies almost immediately because ATP production ceases.

(b) A boy is diagnosed with neonatal adrenoleukodystrophy (NALD), which is characterized by an inability of his body to break down very-long-chain fatty acids.

(c) A young man learns that he is infertile because his sperm are nonmotile.

(d) A young child dies because her cells lack an enzyme that normally breaks down a membrane glycolipid that therefore accumulated in the membranes of her nervous system.

(e) A young child is placed on a milk-free diet because the mucosal cells that line his small intestine do not secrete the enzyme necessary to hydrolyze lactose, the disaccharide present in milk.