Otto Heinrich Warburg

By: Miranda, Nathania & Aliny

Biography

- Born October 8, 1883 in Freiburg, Germany

- Died August 1 1970 in Berlin, west of Germany.

-His father was a highly respected physicist - Warburg researched and studied the effect of oxygen on cancer cells

- He obtained double doctorates in chemistry and medicine

- Won the Nobel Prize in 1931

Dr. Otto Heinrich Warburg

Historical Context

Prior knowledge:-Fermentation-Theory of Genetics-Conversion of Glucose to Lactic Acid

Undiscovered:-ATP-Citric Acid Cycle-Glycolysis Pathway

Experiment Purpose: To determine if cancer cells ferment even in the presence of sufficient amounts of oxygen.

Hypothesis: Warburg’s hypothesis was that cancer cells ferment glucose rather than oxidize into the mitochondria. This can be called mitochondrial dysfunction. He states that the prime cause of cancer is the replacement of the respiration of oxygen in the normal body cells by a fermentation of sugar. The cellular metabolism of cancer cells match closely of mold and fungus.

Independent Variable: Measurements of anaerobic and aerobic respiration by measuring CO2 pressure

Dependent Variable: The presence and absence of O2

Positive control: normal cells

Design:

H – Glass jointS – Tissue Slice N- Glass needle T – TroughG – Glass bulb E - Chamber

- Purpose of vessel was to measure oxygen absorption or lactic acid production.

-Oxygen absorption was measured as pressure decreased over time

-Lactic acid production was measured as pressure increased

Results:

Results (Cont’d)

Environment Lactic Acid produced

(µmol)

Glucose absorbed(µmol)

Aerobic 0.93 0.46

Anaerobic 1.22 0.61

- He also observed that 0.28µmol of oxygen was absorbed, which means that 0.047 µmol of glucose is oxidized to water and carbon dioxide.

Root Cause: -Smoking - Fast Food- Food Additives

Treatment:-Respiratory enzymes - Iron - B vitamins

References:

1) Otto Warburg, "On The Origin of Cancer Cells," SCIENCE, (24FEB1956), Volume 123, Number 3191, pp. 309-314.

2) Koppenol, W. H., Bounds, P. L., & Dang, C. V. (n.d.). Figure 3 : Otto Warburg's contributions to current concepts of cancer metabolism : Nature Reviews Cancer. Nature Publishing Group : science journals, jobs, and information. Retrieved October 16, 2012, <http://www.nature.com/nrc/journal/v11/n5/fig_tab/nrc3038_F3.html >

3) "Figure 3 : Otto Warburg's contributions to current concepts of cancer metabolism : Nature Reviews Cancer." Nature Publishing Group : science journals, jobs, and information. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Oct. 2012. http://www.nature.com/nrc/journal/v11/n5/fig_tab/nrc3038_F3.html

4) subject. "The M2 splice isoform of pyruvate kinase is important for cancer metabolism and tumour growth : Abstract : Nature." Nature Publishing Group : science journals, jobs, and information. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Oct. 2012. <http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v4.html>