⭐️ BIOCHEMISTRY Flashcards
Structure of the water molecule
Slightly skewed tetrahedron
Most common chemical component of living organisms
Water
The body weight of a normal person consists of
40% dry weight
60% water
60% water in the human body is subdivided into
2/3 40%intracellular
1/3 20%extracellular
Of the 20% (of body weight) extracellular water in the body, how many percent is interstitial fluid and plasma?
15% interstitial fluid
5% plasma
What is a dipole?
A molecule woth electrical charge distributed asymmetrically about its structure.
Water has a high dielectric constant. What does this mean?
Water greatly increases the force of attraction between charged and polar species.
Explain.
Water is an excellent nucleophile.
Nucleophilic attack by water generally results in the cleavage of the amide, glycoside, or ester bonds that hold bipolymers together.
In other words, water breaks polymers together hence it is a good solvent.
Explain.
Water is amphoteric.
It can dissciate into hydronium and hydroxide ions. It is both an acid and a base.
Amphoteric vs amphipathic
Amphoteric- can act as both an acid and a base
Ampipathic- has hydrophilic and hydrophobic parts
Measure of acidity or alkalinity
pH
pH is defined as
-log [H+]
What is the normal pH of blood?
7.35-7.45
Acids vs bases
Acids are proton donors
Bases are proton acceptors
Enzyme most likely involved in lens opacities in DM
Aldose reductase
