Clinical chemistry (also known as clinical biochemistry, chemical pathology or pure blood chemistry) is the area of pathology that is generally concerned with analysis of bodily fluids. Pathology (from Greek grc πάθος pathos, "fate harm" and grc -λογία -logia) is the study and Bodily fluids listed below are found in the bodies of men and/or women
The discipline originated in the late 19th century with the use of simple chemical tests for various components of blood and urine. Subsequently other techniques were applied including the use and measurement of enzyme activities, spectrophotometry, electrophoresis and immunoassay. Enzymes are Biomolecules that catalyze ( ie increase the rates of Chemical reactions Almost all enzymes are Proteins In Physics, spectrophotometry is the quantitative study of electromagnetic spectra. Electrophoresis is the most well-known electrokinetic phenomenon. An immunoassay is a Biochemical test that measures the Concentration of a substance in a biological liquid typically serum or Urine, using the
Most current laboratories are now highly automated and use assays that are closely monitored and quality controlled.
Tests that require examination and measurement of the cells of blood, as well as blood clotting studies, are not included as in the UK these are usually grouped under hematology, but in many countries these specialties along with immunology and microbiology are grouped under laboratory medicine. Hematology ( American English) or haematology ( British English) is the branch of biology (physiology Pathology, Clinical laboratory
All biochemical tests come under chemical pathology. These are performed on any kind of body fluid, but mostly on serum or plasma. Bodily fluids listed below are found in the bodies of men and/or women Blood plasma is the Liquid component of Blood, in which the Blood cells are suspended Serum is the yellow watery part of blood that is left after blood has been allowed to clot and all blood cells have been removed. This is most easily done by centrifugation which packs the more dense blood cells and platelets to the bottom of the centrifuge tube, leaving the liquid serum fraction resting above the packed cells. Plasma is essentially the same as serum, but is obtained by centrifuging the blood without clotting. Plasma therefore contains all of the clotting factors, including fibrinogen. Fibrin (also called Factor Ia) is a Protein involved in the clotting of blood
A large laboratory will accept samples for up to about 700 different kinds of tests. A medical laboratory or clinical laboratory is a Laboratory where tests are done on clinical specimens in order to get information about the Health Even the largest of laboratories rarely does all these tests themselves and some need to be referred to other labs.
This large array of tests can be further sub-categorised into sub-specialities of:
- General or routine chemistry
- Endocrinology - the study of hormones
- Immunology - the study of the immune system and antibodies
- Pharmacology or Toxicology - the study of drugs
Chemical pathology tests
Common chemical pathology tests include:
- Sodium;
- Potassium;
- Chloride;
- Bicarbonate;
- Urea;
- Creatinine;
- Calcium;
- Phosphate;
- Albumin;
- Bilirubin;
- AST;
- ALT;
- GGT;
- Alkaline phosphatase;
- Magnesium;
- Osmolality;
- Urate;
- Iron;
- Transferrin;
- Total protein;
- Globulins;
- Glucose;
- C-reactive protein;
- HbA1c (glycohemoglobin). Endocrinology (from Greek grc ἔνδον endon, "within" grc κρῑνω krīnō, "to separate" and grc -λογία Hormones (from Greek ὁρμή - "impetus" are chemicals released by cells that affect cells in other parts of the body Immunology is a broad branch of biomedical Science that covers the study of all aspects of the Immune system in all Organisms It deals with An immune system is a collection of mechanisms within an Organism that protects against Disease by identifying and killing Pathogens and Tumor Antibodies (also known as immunoglobulins, abbreviated Ig) are Gamma globulin Proteins that are found in Blood or other Bodily Pharmacology (from Greek grc φάρμακον pharmakon, "drug" and grc -λογία -logia) is the study of how Drugs Toxicology (from the Greek words toxicos and logos) is the study of the adverse effects of Chemicals on living organisms A drug, broadly speaking is any chemical substance that when absorbed into the body Sodium (ˈsoʊdiəm is an element which has the symbol Na( Latin natrium, from Arabic natrun) atomic number 11 atomic mass 22 Potassium (pəˈtæsiəm is a Chemical element. It has the symbol K (kalium from qalīy Atomic number 19 and Atomic mass 39 The chloride Ion is formed when the element Chlorine picks up one Electron to form an Anion (negatively-charged ion Cl&minus In Inorganic chemistry, bicarbonate ( IUPAC -recommended nomenclature hydrogencarbonate) is an intermediate form in the Deprotonation Urea is an Organic compound with the Chemical formula ( N[[hydrogen H]]22 C[[oxygen O]] Creatinine is a break-down product of Creatine phosphate in Muscle, and is usually produced at a fairly constant rate by the body (depending on muscle mass Calcium (ˈkælsiəm is the Chemical element with the symbol Ca and Atomic number 20 A phosphate, an Inorganic chemical, is a salt of Phosphoric acid. Serum albumin, often referred to simply as albumin, is the most abundant Plasma protein in humans and other Mammals Albumin is essential for maintaining Bilirubin (formerly referred to as hematoidin) is the yellow breakdown product of normal Heme Catabolism. Aspartate Transaminase ( AST) also called serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase ( SGOT) or aspartate aminotransferase ( ASAT/AAT Alanine transaminase or ALT is a Transaminase Enzyme ( It is also called serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGPT or alanine aminotransferase Alkaline phosphatase ( ALP) ( is a Hydrolase Enzyme responsible for removing Phosphate groups from many types of molecules including Magnesium (mægˈniːziəm is a Chemical element with the symbol Mg, Atomic number 12 Atomic weight 24 Osmolarity is a measure of the osmoles of solute per Liter of solution while the osmolality is a measure of the osmoles of Solute per Kilogram Uric acid (or urate) is an Organic compound of Carbon, Nitrogen, Oxygen and Hydrogen with the formula C5H4N4O3 Iron (ˈаɪɚn is a Chemical element with the symbol Fe (ferrum and Atomic number 26 Transferrin is a Blood plasma Protein for Iron Ion delivery Transferrin is a Glycoprotein, which binds iron very tightly but reversibly Globulin is one of the two types of serum Proteins the other being albumin. Glucose (Glc a Monosaccharide (or simple Sugar) also known as grape sugar, is an important Carbohydrate in Biology. C-reactive protein ( CRP) is a Plasma protein, an Acute phase protein produced by the Liver and by Adipocytes. Glycosylated (or glycated hemoglobin ( hemoglobin A1c Hb1c, or HbA1c) is a form of Hemoglobin used primarily to identify the average
- Blood gases (
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)
See also
An arterial blood gas ( ABG) is a Blood test that is performed specifically on Blood from an Artery. A Reference range is a set of values used by a Health professional to interpret a set of Medical test results A medical technologist (MT is a Healthcare professional who performs Diagnostic analytic tests on Body fluids such as Blood, UrineDapyx Software network: MP3 Explorer | Ebook Manager | Zenithic