In: Biology
Suggest reasons why glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency may be manifested in red blood cells but not in adipocytes, which also require NADPH for their metabolism. Make sure to explain your reason.
glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase produces NADPH that is used by the different enzymes like glutathione peroxidase to neutralize the reactive oxygen species that can cause excessive damage to the cells if left active. The production of reactive oxygen species increases in the presence of oxygen. This is the RBC that is responsible for oxygen transport and do not operate ETC for the reduction of excess oxygen, hence the environment in RBC is always oxidative and so much of reactive oxygen species are produced which are neutralized by the enzyme by using NADPH produced by the glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase under normal circumstances. On the other hand in adipocytes, the oxygen level are very low and whatever the oxygen enters the adipocyte is reduced into the water by ETC. This prevents the generation of reactive oxygen species. Now if glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase is not present in RBC due to mutation in the genes, RBCs would not be able to neutralize the reactive oxygen species due to lack of NADPH. this cause excessive damage to the cell leading hemolysis and death of RBC. Adipocytes remain unaffected due to the small requirement for oxygen that is used in ETC and this reduces the reactive oxygen species. Hence are not prone to damage. So this is why RBC's manifests the glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency but not adipocytes.