Lesson 2 – The Chemical Basis of Life

The Significance of Water

 Most abundant compound in the body

 Major ingredient of our blood and body fluids
 Survival depends on water, needs to be available with the homeostatic range
 To much or to little can upset the delicate balance called : homeostasis

Amount of Body Water and Its Distribution

 Body fluids are distributed in compartments

 Within those compartments are varying degrees of “ingredients”
 Movement of water/electrolytes are regulated within thee compartments so their distribution
remains stable

Two main compartments:

INTRACELLULAR

o all water and electrolytes enclosed by the cell membrane (63% of all total body water)

EXTRACELLULAR :

o interstitial fluid : all fluid outside of the cell membrane within the tissue spaces
o intravascular – plasma : all fluid within the blood vessels
o Lymph fluid : fluid within the lymphatic vessels
o Small amounts of circulating fluids (CSF), aqueous humor, vitreous humor, synovial fluids,
glandular secretions
o Collectively makes up about 37% of all body fluids

Functions of Water (SRTTL)

SOLVENT – median for chemical reactions

REACTANT – an active participant in chemical reactions (hydrolysis)

TEMPERATURE CONTROL – absorbs heat which increases its temperature rapidly and transport heat to
superficial blood vessels where heat is then lost via radiation

TRANSPORT – major transport mechanism is blood which is 91% water. Transports nutrients, gases,
hormones, waters, regulatory substances

LUBRICANT – saliva helps break down food in the mouth; organs are surrounded by a membrane that
prevent them from “sticking to on another” cells are bathed in water (interstitial fluid)
Identify the Primary Source of Water Intake and Water Loss

 Balance = what comes in must come out (intake equal with water output)
 Intake = fluids by mouth through beverages usually about 1500mL daily, secondary includes
metabolism and water from moist foods
 Output = through kidneys (other – perspiration and stool) – diffusion or evaporation from the
lungs during breathing and skin (insensible water loss)

Primary Elements Composing the Human Body (CHON)

 Carbon
 Hydrogen
 Oxygen
 Nitrogen

Trace Elements – essential to nutrition or physiological processes and is found in such minute quantities
that analysis would yield a presence of virtually nil amounts. Part of enzymes or are essential for enzyme
activation

Examples: FII

FLUORINE – put in municipal water supply as a prevention to tooth decay, also part of some insectaries

IODINE – essential micronutrient; 80% of body’s iodine is found in the form of thyroglobulin. Necessary
to synthesize our thyroid hormones

IRON – essential for the synthesis of hemoglobin. The “heme” portion also catalyzes the formation of
vitamin A. Found primarily in the blood and also stored in : liver spleen, bone marrow

Other – cobalt, tin, zinc

NOTE: body water has substances in it that some dissolve or dissociate in water and produce

Electrolytes

 A substance that ionizes in water and is capable of conducting an electrical current

- Ex : salt & baking soda
 Dissolved in water therefore their balance is interdependent
 NaCl into Na and Cl

Non Electrolytes

 Substance that do not dissociate readily (sugars and lipids)

Atoms bond they attempt to achieve stability in the outer shell by gaining, losing or sharing electrons
during the bonding process

Atoms = composed of three particles : protons, neutrons and electrons

Anion = negative ion (Cl, HCO3, OH, PO, SO)

Cation = Positive ion (Na, K, Ca, H)

Ion = carries an electrical charge

Electrolyte Intake and Loss

 Balance exists when the quantities of the various electrolytes gained by the body are equal to
those lost

INTAKE

- Primarily food
- Beverages
- Water
- Metabolic reactions (secondary, by product)
- Attained through hunger and thirst
- Deficiency can result in “cravings”

OUTPUT

- Perspiration however the quantity varies with the amount of “sweat” (increases with
warmer days and strenuous exercise)
- Some loss occurs with stool and it is dependent on the quality and quantity
- Greatest lost through renally

Sodium, Potassium, Calcium

Na : major extracellular cation, very important in water balance, conduction of nerve impulses and
muscle contraction

K : necessary for nerve impulses, conduction of muscle contraction and cardiac function

Ca : salts in bones and teeth, required for muscle contraction, nerve impulse conduction and blood
clotting

Acids and Bases

 Electrolytes
 Ionize and dissociate in water
 Conduct an electrical current
 Some substances dissociate in water and specifically form hydrogen ions (ACIDS)
 Release some anions during that chemical process
 HCL  H+ + Cl-
 Others form hydroxyl (OH)- which are BASES
 NaOH  Na + OH
 Acid release H and bases release OH

Maintaining Serum pH
  Different pH levels throughout the body
 Living cells are very sensitive to even the slightest changes in pH
 For survival it is imperative to maintain the pH of the blood with the normal homeostatic range
 Recall that human blood is 7.35 to 7.45 (slightly alkaline)
 If drops below 7.4 the blood is becoming acidotic
 If rises than alkalotic
 Without medical intervention and if pH is lower than 6.8 or higher then 8.0 then death would
ensue
 Fluctuation above or below normal affect the rate of metabolism

Mechanism Responsible for Maintaining pH

 #1 defense the body has is BUFFERS/chemical substances

 #2 mechanism that works to control is the lungs
 #3 control is the renal system

Blood Buffer System

 Bicarbonate ions (HCO3) and carbonic acid (H2CO3)

How Buffers Work

 Substance which reacts with a strong acid or base to form a weaker one
 Biochemical reactions are very sensitive to any changes in pH
 Homeostasis of our acid/base balance is imperative
 Recall the systems that are in place to maintain pH homeostasis
 BUFFERS are specific molecules work to resist sudden and large swings within the pH of our
body fluids
 As pH increase buffers release hydrogen ions and when the pH decrease buffers bind with
hydrogen
 Directed at maintaining the pH between a narrow limit of 7.35-7.45
 Strong acids – acids which dissociate completely and irreversibly
 I can dramatically change the pH because of free floating hydrogen ions
 Opposite of this is called weak acids
 Base be added to liquid hydroxyl ions would attract hydrogen ions
 Attempt to decrease pH back within normal homeostatic levels
 Blood buffers are chemicals that are extremely effective in maintain our pH on a second to
second basis

Two Body Systems Which Assist in the Maintenance of Serum pH if Blood Buffers Fail

1. Respiratory system (lungs)

2. Renal system (kidneys)

pH : measurement of hydrogen ion concentration used to indivate the acid or alkaline condition of a
solution. In the body we monitor the balance between hydrogen and hydroxyl ions / pH reflects the
concentration of these ions
  Continually have reactions ongoing in our body
 Can be result of hydrogen and hydroxyl ion concentration with our body fluids
 Important role in the regulation of blood pressure and respiratory rate
 The amount in the body is measured in units called pH

Small Shifts in pH are Significant

 When blood becomes more acidic the amount of oxygen that the blood can carry becomes
dangerously low
 When cells are deprived they cannot make ATP which is the body’s source of energy

Building Blocks of Life

Carbohydrates – CHO

 Carbon, hydrogen, oxygen

 H and O in ration 2:1
 Means hydrated carbon (glucose)
 Classified by size and solubility (larger the molecule the less soluble)
1. Monosaccharide
2. Disaccharide
3. Monosaccharide are the structural units

Lipids

 Two types of building blocks – fatty acids and glycerol

 Also composed of CHO but smaller portion of O
 Glycerol molecule is combined with 3 fatty acids chains = triglyceride

Protein

 Contains CHON (nitrogen)

 Amino acids are building blocks of life
 Total of 20 occur commonly in proteins
 Contain amine group (NH2) and COOH
 Another portion to make is specific

Nucleic Acids

 Fundamental compounds of the cell

 DNA and RNA
Functions
- Cellular activity
- Make genes which provide blueprint for life
- Direct growth and development
- Dictates protein synthesis
 Contains CHON, phosphorus
 Building blocks are called nucleotides
  Each contain sugar, phosphate group, and organic bases

Types of Fats

Triglycerides

 Building blocks of fat

 Glycerol and 3 fatty acid chains
 Other fats the glycerol stays the same but fatty acids vary creating different fats
 Differs is the length of the carbon chin and how they bond
1. Saturated Fats (@RT its solid)
 Single carbon – carbon bonds
 Carbon atom saturated with as many H atoms
 “happy”
 SOURCE – cholesterol
 High density lipoproteins is good because they collect for breakdown in liver unlike Low
since it deposits against artery wall
2. Unsaturated (@RT its liquid)
 Double bonds between the carbon atoms
 Creating opportunity for elements to rebond
3. Polyunsaturated
 Many double carbon bonds

Phospholipids

- Similar in structure of lipids

- Glycerol and fatty acid chains with one fatty acid chain being replaced
- Building block of cellular structures

Steriods
- Structure includes four rings of carbon
- Cholesterol, Vit D, bile, various hormones

Amino Acids

Essential : 8 of 20

 They cannot be made or synthesized by our body cells and must be ingested
 SOURCE – diet

Non-Essential : 12 of 20

 Can be synthesized by our body cells

 SOURCE – diet and body production
Nitrogen Balance

 rate of protein synthesis = the rate of breakdown and loss

 in balance when protein ingested = the amount excrete in the stool and urine
1. Positive Nitrogen Balance
- Protein synthesis GREATER than the rate of break down and loss (being used for energy)
- Ex. Growing children, pregnancy or tisses being rebuilt following illness or surgery
2. Negative Nitrogen Balance
- Protein synthesis LESS than breakdown and loss
- Protein breakdown exceeds the use of protein for building structural or functional proteins
- Ex. Physical or emotional stress when dietary protein is poor or unavailable and the tissues
lose protein faster than it is replaced