My experience with the Ask a Scientist web site was very positive. I did not know of this site, so I was very intrigued by the idea of asking a question and getting an answer from an expert scientist.
The question that I asked was: What controls enzymes in cells and how are they controlled?
I have not gotten a specific response from a scientist regarding this question. However, I got several other previously submitted questions and answers to peruse. I was surprised that I found what I was looking for from this list and technically did not need to submit my question to a scientist, even though I did. A question that matched well with mine is: What is a feedback mechanism? Feedback mechanisms control enzymes in cells. "Feedback regulation is important to control the flux, or the rate of production and breakdown, of biological molecules and to maintain homeostasis (a dynamic equilibrium) in the cell. It can be either negative or positive" (Veraksa, 2011). Reading through the answer to this question, I not only learned the answer to my question but gained more curiosity on the subject matter. Now that I understand the regulation of enzymes in cells, I wonder how diseases affect the control of said enzymes.
Veraksa, Alexey. (2011). Ask a Scientist. Howard Hughes Medical Institute. Retrieved January 17, 2012 from http://www.askascientist.org/askascientist/answers/20071115-61.html.
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