Activity 2. Parts of the Cell

ACT 2 - COLUMBRES

ACT 2 - COLUMBRES

by Rustana Kym Columbres -
Number of replies: 0
  1. You do not consume alcoholic beverages, but your friend does, and he consumes these drinks regularly and in large amounts. If we could examine your liver cells and compare with your friend, would we see a difference in smooth ER and peroxisomes?

  • Alcohol can negatively impact your body’s ability to create scar tissue and remove scar tissue because of the changes it can chemically cause. The liver would not be able to work because of the buildup of scar tissue that replaces normal and healthy cells. The friend could die because their liver could fail. The job of the smooth ER is to degrade inorganic toxins like alcohol. If put under too much stress, the unfolded protein can accumulate in the ER and contribute to liver failure. Peroxisomes detoxify alcohol in the body, too. So if too much alcohol is being drunk by the friend, their body will have to generate more smooth ER and peroxisomes to compensate, which could give them different diseases and highers risks of liver failure.