The elastic protein titin consists of approximately 30,000 amino acids, making it the largest known human protein. As a component of sarcomeres, the smallest contractile unit of skeletal and cardiac muscles, titin provides the elastic connection between Z-disks and myosin heads in the form of filaments. Titin filaments are passively preloaded and retract the myosin … Titin: Structure, Function & Diseases
Introduction The drooping eyelid, or ptosis in technical terminology, is a low position of the upper eyelid. The eyelid cannot be raised arbitrarily. This can be a muscular weakness or caused by a nerve. A connective tissue weakness of the skin is also possible. Those affected can have restricted vision and often suffer psychologically from … Hanging eyelid
Associated symptoms The accompanying symptoms of ptosis depend on the cause. In the case of age-related ptosis, usually only a wrinkled, inelastic skin can be observed on the whole body. In the case of a stroke, the other symptoms depend on the spread of the damage. Those affected can develop complete hemiplegia of one half … Associated symptoms | Hanging eyelid
Diagnosis The diagnosis of ptosis itself is purely clinical. The drooping eyelid is more a symptom of other diseases than an independent disease and is immediately recognizable from the outside. However, in the following some examinations must be performed to make the actual diagnosis. In this case, special imaging procedures are necessary to examine the … Diagnosis | Hanging eyelid
Cholinesterase inhibitors are components of various drugs that can be used for a wide range of diseases due to their many different modes of action. Cholinesterases increase the activity of certain cell compounds, which are located in the brain as well as in various organs such as the eyes or the bladder. The available cholinesterase … What are cholinesterase inhibitors?
The active ingredient and the effect of cholinesterase inhibitors Cholinesterase inhibitors are a group of active ingredients that differ slightly in their chemical structure but are characterized by the same basic action. The site of action is the connections between nerve cells (synapses) and the connection between nerve and muscle cells (motor end plate). There, … The active ingredient and the effect of cholinesterase inhibitors | What are cholinesterase inhibitors?
Contraindications – When should a cholinesterase inhibitor not be given? Cholinesterase inhibitors must not be given for different diseases on different organs, as otherwise the disease may worsen and sometimes life-threatening consequences may result. First of all, there are diseases of the heart where there is a disturbance of the electrical impulse conduction (AV-BLock) or … Contraindications – When should a cholinesterase inhibitor not be given? | What are cholinesterase inhibitors?
Poisoning with a cholinesterase inhibitor Poisoning with a cholinesterase inhibitor can occur as a result of excessive use of the drug. Depending on the amount of overdose, different signs of poisoning may appear. Moderate overdose may result in increased tear and saliva flow, muscle twitching, decreased respiratory drive and hypothermia. In case of a severe … Poisoning with a cholinesterase inhibitor | What are cholinesterase inhibitors?
Synonyms Myasthenia gravis pseudoparalytica Hoppe Goldflam Syndrome Hereditary Gold Flame Disease Summary Myasthenia gravis is a disease of the nerve-muscle junction (neuromuscular endplate; see Muscular Anatomy) from the group of autoaggressive diseases. The immune system of the affected person produces (auto)antibodies against the receptors (recipients) for the messenger substance that triggers the translation of a … Myasthenia gravis
Symptoms The disease usually begins at sites where a relatively small number of muscle fibers are supplied by a nerve at a neuromuscular junction. This is the case with muscles that are supposed to enable finely tuned movements, such as the eye muscles. The affected musculature shows a tendency towards premature fatigue when stressed, and … Symptoms | Myasthenia gravis
Therapy The basis of the therapy is the influencing of the patients’ immune system with cortisone (cortisone) or other active substances that reduce the production of antibodies against the messenger receptors. Symptomatically, inhibitors of the messenger-degrading enzyme are administered, in myasthenic crisis the same are given intravenously. These inhibitors are not entirely unproblematic, since an … Therapy | Myasthenia gravis
What are autoantibodies? Our body’s own defence system continuously produces the so-called antibodies, small proteins that support the immune cells in their defence against pathogens and cancer cells. Unfortunately, this system is not infallible and some people produce antibodies that make our own body cells feel foreign and threatening. This leads to the immune cells … Autoantibodies
