Fundamentals of Medical Biology and Medical Molecular Biology

Biology, study of living things and their vital processes. The field deals with all the physicochemical aspects of life. The modern tendency toward cross-disciplinary research and the unification of scientific knowledge and investigation from different fields has resulted in significant overlap of the field of biology with other scientific disciplines. The concept of homeostasis that living things maintain a constant internal environment was first suggested in the 19th century by French physiologist Claude Bernard, who stated that "all the vital mechanisms, varied as they are, have only one object: that of preserving constant the conditions of life". RT-PCR can be used to diagnose genetic disease such as Lesch-Nyhan syndrome. This genetic disease is caused by a malfunction in the HPRT1 gene which clinically leads to the fatal uric acid urinary stone and symptoms similar to gout. Analyzing a pregnant mother and a fetus for mRNA expression levels of HPRT1 will reveal if the mother is a carrier and if the fetus will likely to develop Lesch-Nyhan syndrome.