Hormone Havoc
Lab Testing Methods
Enzyme Enigmas
What's that Media?
Running on Empty
200
A deficiency of hormones produced by this gland causes a goiter
Thyroid Gland
200
Use this technique to amplify the quantity of a target DNA sequence
PCR
200
Found in all cells of the body, this non-specific enzyme of inflammation can be used to help diagnose hemolytic processes
Lactate Dehydrogenase
200
The common microbiology medium is enriched due to the blood of this animal
Sheep!
200
This microcytic anemia is seen when an important metal is missing from an individuals diet or lost through excess bleeding
Iron Deficiency Anemia
400
Stored in the posterior pituitary, this hormone makes you feel all the love, and plays a role in childbirth
Oxytocin
400
Used to visualize PCR results, this lab technique often uses Agarose as a medium to travel through
Gel electrophoresis
400
A similar name to a supplement you can buy to increase your muscle gains, high levels of this enzyme can indicate muscular dystrophy or rhabdomyolysis
Creatinine Kinase
400
This selective differential media uses lactose and neutral red to distinguish lactose fermenting bacteria from non-lactose fermenters.
MacConkey Agar (MAC)
400
A heterozygous form of this often painful condition leads to malaria resistance
Sickle Cell
600
This hormone is released by the pancreas in response to low blood sugar levels
Glucagon
600
Sick and tired of manual microbiology testing? Add your organism to this type of Mass Spectrometer to identify it!
Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization - Time of Flight (MALDI-TOF)
600
Increased amounts of this enzyme with normal levels of GGT can be indicative of bone diseases such as Rickets or Paget’s Disease
Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP)
600
This media uses potato starch and charcoal to grow “Split Pearl” colonies of Bordetella pertussis, causative agent of whooping cough
Bordet Gengou
600
What is the name of this macrocytic anemia caused by an autoimmune decrease in intrinsic factor, leading to low levels of Vitamin B12
Pernicious anemia
800
Alcoholic cirrhosis can cause bleeding issues due to a lack of this hormone being produced
Thrombopoietin (TPO)
800
Several different brands of hematology analyzers use this principle to enumerate and measure RBC size
Electrical Impedance (Coulter Principle)
800
Seen in the pancreas and salivary glands, increased amounts of this non-specific enzyme help indicate acute pancreatitis, or other intra-abdominal issues like Appendicitis or Ectopic Pregnancy
Amylase
800
This BAP-based media uses 2 antibiotics to be selective for Gram-positive organisms. It is often used in the diagnostic workup for surface wound swabs
Colistin-Nalidixic Acid (CNA)
800
Stop listening to those “wellness” influencers! This type of microangiopathic hemolytic anemia (MAHA) could occur after consuming raw milk or ground beef
Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS)
1000
Associated with breastfeeding, this anterior pituitary hormone can cause irritability, low libido, and gynecomastia in males when produced excessively by a tumor
Prolactin
1000
Benchtop chemistry analyzers use this method to quantify serum or urine osmolality
Freezing point depression
1000
Though this enzyme is not ordered much by doctors as it’s non-specific, you can correlate high amounts of this enzyme along with high levels of ALT to help diagnose hepatitis
Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST)
1000
This selective medium uses 2 different antibiotics to inhibit the growth of gram-positive and facultative anaerobic organisms, allowing anaerobes such as Bacteroides and Prevotella to grow.
Kanamycin-Vancomycin Laked Blood (KVLB) Agar
1000
A normocytic anemia with Bite cells and Heinz Bodies can be seen in this condition caused by increased reactive oxygen species. Stay away from Fava beans!
G6PD Deficiency