Body Chemistry

Elements in the body:

Hydrogen (H) (62%)

Oxygen (O) (26%)

Carbon (C) (10%)

Nitrogen (N) (1.5%)

Calcium (Ca)

Sodium (Na)

Potassium (K)

Chlorine (Cl)

Phosphorus (P)

Magnesium (Mg)

Iron (Fe)

Sulfur (S)

Iodine (I)

Each electron shell accommodates a certain number of electrons the number of electrons in the outer shell determines the property of each element

Molecular Bonds

Molecules are combinations of two or more atoms

·        Covalent bonds connect atoms thru sharing of electrons

o        Non-polar bonds – electrons are shared equally

o        Polar bonds – electrons are not shared equally

o        Carbon is a critical component of biomolecules and is capable of forming four covalent bonds

·        Hydrogen bonds connect atoms thru attraction between a hydrogen ion and a negatively charged site

·        Ionic bonds connect atoms thru electrical attraction after one atom loses one or more electrons

 


Water

·        The solvent property of water is due to the presence of polar molecules that lead to hydrogen bonds and that disrupt ionic bonds of solutes

 

 

·        The fluidity of water is due to the hydrogen bonds that hold water together

Acids, Bases and Salts

Electrolytes in the body:

NaCl (sodium chloride)

KCl (potassium chloride)

CaCl2 (calcium chloride)

NaHCO3 (sodium bicarbonate)

MgCl2 (magnesium chloride)

Na2HPO4 (disodium phosphate)

Na2SO4 (sodium sulfate)

Common Ions:

Cations:

, K+, , Mg2+,

Anions:

, , HPO4-, SO42-

 


BioMolecules

contain carbon, hydrogen and usually oxygen

Carbohydrates

Lipids

Proteins

nucleosides

 


Carbohydrates

usually contain the ratio of 1C:2H:1O

·        Monosaccharides - simple sugars with 3 to 7 carbon atoms


Lipids

usually contain the ratio of ~1C:~2H:<1O

·        Fatty Acids - long chain of carbons with hydrogen attached and a carboxyl group (-COOH)

·        Glycerol - a chain of three carbons that can attach to fatty acids

·        Glycerides

 


Proteins

Contain amino groups (NH2)


Nucleosides and Nucleotides

nucleoside - composed of two subunits, ribose or deoxyribose attached to a nitrogenous base.

nucleotide - comprised of 3 subunits, ribose or deoxyribose attached to both a nitrogenous base and a mono-, di-, or triphosphate group

Nitrogenous Bases

o       Cytosine, Thymine, Uracil

o       Adenine, Guanine

RNA Nucleoside Triphosphates

·        nitrogenous base attached to Ribose and three phosphate groups

o       RNA Adenine Nucleoside Triphosphate

(also referred to as Adenosine Triphosphate, ATP)

o       RNA Guanine Nucleoside Triphosphate

(also referred to as Guanosine Triphosphate, GTP)

o       RNA Cytosine Nucleoside Triphosphate

(also referred to as Cytidine Triphosphate, CTP)

o       RNA Uracil Nucleoside Triphosphate

(also referred to as Uridine Triphosphate, UTP)

o       ATP, ADP, AMP - Adenine + ribose + 1, 2, or 3 phosphate groups

o       GTP, GDP, GMP - Guanine + ribose + 1, 2, or 3 phosphate groups


 

DNA Nucleoside Triphosphates

·        nitrogenous base attached to Deoxyibose and three phosphate groups

o       DNA Adenine Nucleoside Triphosphate

o       DNA Guanine Nucleoside Triphosphate

o       DNA Cytosine Nucleoside Triphosphate

o       DNA Thymine Nucleoside Triphosphate

(also referred to as Thymidine Triphosphate, TTP)

 

Nucleic Acids

 

© 2006 David G. Ward, PhD All rights reserved, Last modified 30 August, 2006