Biochemistry

Definition and Scope

the study of the chemical substances found in

living organisms and the chemical interactions of
these substances with each other
Significance of Biochemistry
Significance: essential to all life sciences as the
common knowledge
 Genetics, Cell biology, Molecular biology
 Physiology and Immunology
 Pharmacology and Pharmacy
 Toxicology, Pathology, Microbiology
 Zoology and Botany
Significance of Biochemistry
Medical students who acquire a sound
knowledge of biochemistry will be in a strong
position to deal with two central concerns of
the health sciences:
(1) the understanding and maintenance of health
(2) the understanding and effective treatment of disease
 knowledge on disease processes
 diagnosis and management of diseases
 manufacture of biological products
 Biochemical substances

Water (about
Bioinorganic 70%)
substances Inorganic salts (about 5%)

dissolved gases
Biochemical
substance Proteins (about 15%)

Lipids (about 8%)

Bioorganic substances Carbohydrates
(about 2%)
Nucleic acids (about
2%)
Characteristics of Life
1. Metabolism
- complex series of essential chemical processes
- e.g. digestion and assimilation, respiration

2. Growth
- development of new parts between or within older
ones
- intussusception
Characteristics of Life
3. Irritability
- respond to changes in their environment

4. Reproduction
- ability to reproduce itself
 Characteristics of Life
5. Definite form and size

6. Chemical composition
- carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen

 Viruses?
Prokaryotic vs. Eukaryotic Cell
Two main forms of cells

1. Eukaryotic cell

2. Prokaryotic cell
Types of Cells
Prokaryotes and Eukaryotes
 Both contain:  Samekinds of
 nucleic acids chemical reactions to:
proteins  metabolize food
lipids build proteins
carbohydrates store energy
 Prokaryotic cells

 structurally simpler and

smaller
 do not contain a nucleus
 found in Bacteria and
Archaebacteria
Distinguishing characteristics
of a Prokaryotic Cell
 DNA is not enclosed
within a membrane and is
usually a singular
circularly arranged
chromosome.
- nucleiod
 DNA is not associated
with histones.
Histones
Histones
Distinguishing characteristics
of a Prokaryotic Cell
 It lacks membrane-
enclosed organellles.

 Their cell wall contain

peptidoglycan.
Distinguishing characteristics
of a Prokaryotic Cell
 It usually divides by binary fission.
Eukaryotic cells
 They contain a true nucleus, bounded by a
membranous nuclear envelope
 They are generally bigger than prokaryotic
cells

 plants and animals

 other cellular microbes (fungi, protozoa, and
algae)
Distinguishing Characteristics
of a Eukaryotic Cell
 DNA is found in the
cell’s nucleus and the
DNA is found in
multiple
chromosomes.

 DNA is consistently
associated with
histones.
Distinguishing Characteristics
of a Eukaryotic Cell
 Membrane-enclosed
organelles are present.
 Cell walls are
chemically simple.
 Cell division usually
involves mitosis.
Prokaryotes vs. Eukaryotes
Prokaryotes vs. Eukaryotes
Bacteria

 prokaryotes
 cell walls (peptidoglycan)
 binary fission
 For energy, use organic
chemicals, inorganic
chemicals, or photosynthesis
Archaea
 prokaryotes
 lack peptidoglycan
 live in extreme environments
 include:
 methanogens
 extreme halophiles
 extreme thermophiles
 Fungi
 eukaryotes
 cell walls (chitin)
 use organic chemicals for energy
 molds and mushrooms
 multicellular consisting of masses of mycelia,
which are composed of filaments called hyphae
 yeasts are unicellular
Protozoa
 eukaryotes
 absorb or ingest
organic chemicals
 may be motile via
pseudopods, cilia, or
flagella
 Algae
 eukaryotes
 cell walls (cellulose)
 use photosynthesis for
energy
 produce molecular
oxygen and organic
compounds
Figure 1.1d
The Revolutionary Classification
Whittaker’s 5-kingdom scheme

Plantae Fungi Animalia

Protista

Monera
Carl Woese
THE CELL
BEVERLY JANE VALIDA
Discovery of Cells
 Robert Hooke
- English scientist
- discovered cells while examining very
thin slices of cork
 Discovery of Cells
 Robert Hooke
- described cells as
similar to the walled
compartments of a
honeycomb
‘cellula’
 Anton van Leeuwenhoek

 first man to witness a

live cell under a
microscope
 animalcules
 first person to
observe bacteria,
protozoa, sperm
cells, red blood cells,
as well as structure of
plants
CELL THEORY
Modern Interpretation
of the Cell Theory
1. The cell is the fundamental unit of structure and function
in living organisms.
2. All cells arise from pre-existing cells by division.
(Omnis cellula e cellula)
3. Energy flow (metabolism and biochemistry) occurs
within cells.
4. Cells contain hereditary information (DNA) which is
passed from cell to cell during cell division.
5. All cells are basically the same in chemical composition
in organisms of similar species.
Modern Interpretation
of the Cell Theory
6. All known living things are made up of one or more
cells.
7. Some organisms are made up of only one cell and
are known as unicellular organisms.
8. Others are multicellular, composed of a number of
cells.
9. The activity of an organism depends on the total
activity of independent cells.
Robert Brown

 identified the naked ovule

in the gymnospermae

 Brownian movement
 Robert Brown

 discovered “an opaque

spot” in cells
- nucleus
Development of the Cell Theory
 Matthias Jakob Schleiden and Theodor Schwann
Development of the Cell Theory
 Matthias Jakob Schleiden
- German professor of
Botany
- brought the nucleus to
attention
- called nucleus as cytoblast
Development of the Cell Theory
 Theodor Schwann
- Professor of Physiology
- propounded what soon
became famous as the cell
theory
- publish a book where he
accept cell structure as the
basis of all vegetable tissues
as well as in animal tissues
Development of the Cell Theory
 Rudolf Virchow
- German physiologist,
physician, pathologist,
and anthropologist
- popularized Omnis
cellula e cellula
 Eukaryotic Cell
ENDOPLASMIC
Nuclear envelope Nuclear envelope
RETICULUM (ER) Rough
Nucleolus endoplasmic
NucleolusNUCLEUS NUCLEUS
Chromatin reticulumSmooth
Rough ER Smooth ER endoplasmic
Centroso
Chromatin me reticulum
Flagelium
Ribosomes (small brwon dots)
Plasma membrane
Centrosome
Central vacuole
Tonoplast
Golgi apparatus
CYTOSKELETON Microfilaments
Intermediate
Microfilaments filaments
Microtubules
Intermediate filaments
Microt
Ribosomes Mitochondrion
ubules Peroxisome
Plasma membrane
Microvilli Cell wall
Chloroplast

Plasmodesmata
Golgi apparatus
Plant Cell
Wall of adjacent cell

Peroxisome

Mitochondrion
Lysosome Animal Cell
Structure of a Eukaryotic Cell
 Cytoplasm
 Aqueous cell contents and
suspended particles and
organelles
 lies internal to the cell
membrane

Cytosol- semifluid substance

within the membrane
containing the other
organelles
Structure of a Eukaryotic Cell
 Cell Membrane Outside of cell

 a selective barrier Hydrophilic

region

Inside of cell
0.1 µm
Hydrophobic
region
(a) TEM of a plasma

 allows sufficient membrane. The

plasma membrane,
here in a red blood
Hydrophilic
region Phospholipid Proteins

passage of nutrients
(b) Structure of the plasma membrane
cell, appears as a
pair of dark bands
separated by a

and waste light band.

Structure of a Eukaryotic Cell

Nucleus
 controlling center
 contains chromosomes

1. Nuclear membrane
- allows direct communication between
nuclear content and cytoplasm through
the nuclear pores
Structure of a Eukaryotic Cell
2. Nucleoplasm
- liquid material in the
nucleus

3. Nucleolus
-site of ribosome
assembly
 Structure of a Eukaryotic Cell
Ribosomes
 composed of RNA and
several proteins
 synthesize proteins
 can be found along the
membranes of nuclear
envelope and
endoplasmic reticulum
Ribosomes

 free ribosomes

 bound ribosomes
 Structure of a Eukaryotic Cell
Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER)
 continuation of the outer
nuclear membrane

 manufactures
membranes and performs
many other biosynthetic
functions
Structure of a Eukaryotic Cell
 Smooth ER
- important in the
synthesis of lipids and
membrane proteins

 Rough ER
- important in the
synthesis of other proteins
 Structure of a Eukaryotic Cell

Golgi Apparatus
 stack of membrane-
bound vesicles
 important in packaging
molecules for transport
 cis and trans side
The possible models explaining the
organization of the Golgi apparatus
and the transport of proteins from
one cisterna to the next.
Structure of a Eukaryotic Cell

Vesicles
 used for the transport of
materials
Structure of a Eukaryotic Cell

Mitochondria
 power centers of the cell
 have smooth outer membranes
and highly convoluted forming
fold inner membrane (cristae)

Cristae- greatly increased the inner

membrane’s surface area
Mitochondria
 Intermembrane Space
Mitochondria
Structure of a Eukaryotic Cell

Cytoskeleton
 network of fibers
throughout the
cytoplasm
 organizes the
structures and
activities of the cell
 Structure of a Eukaryotic Cell
ENDOPLASMIC
Nuclear envelope
RETICULUM (ER)
NucleolusNUCLEUS
Rough ER Smooth ER

Peroxisomes Flagelium
Chromatin

 contain enzymes that

Plasma membran
Centrosome

catalyse the removal of CYTOSKELETON

electrons and associated Microfilaments

Intermediate filaments

hydrogen atoms from, for Microt

ubules
Ribosomes

example, hydrogen Microvilli

peroxide Golgi apparatus

Peroxisome
Lysosome
Mitochondrion
 Eukaryotic Cell
ENDOPLASMIC Nuclear envelope
Nuclear envelope Rough
RETICULUM (ER) Nucleolus
NUCLEUS endoplasmic
NucleolusNUCLEUS Chromatin reticulumSmooth
Rough ER Smooth ER Centroso endoplasmic
Chromatin me reticulum
Flagelium
Ribosomes (small brwon dots)
Plasma membrane
Centrosome
Central vacuole
Tonoplast
Golgi apparatus
CYTOSKELETON Microfilaments
Intermediate
filaments
Microfilaments
Microtubules
Intermediate filaments
Microt Mitochondrion
Ribosomes
ubules Peroxisome
Plasma membrane
Microvilli Chloroplast
Cell wall
Plasmodesmata
Golgi apparatus Wall of adjacent cell

Peroxisome
Lysosome Animal Cell Plant Cell
Mitochondrion
Plant Cell Nuclear envelope
Rough
Nucleolus endoplasmic
NUCLEUS
Chromatin reticulum Smooth
Centrosom endoplasmic
e reticulum

1. Cell Wall Ribosomes (small brwon dots)

Central vacuole
Tonoplast
Golgi apparatus
Microfilaments
Intermediate
filaments
Microtubules

Mitochondrion
Peroxisome
Plasma membrane
Chloroplast
Cell wall
Plasmodesmata
Wall of adjacent cell
Plant Cell Nuclear envelope
Rough
Nucleolus endoplasmic
NUCLEUS
Chromatin reticulum Smooth
Centrosom endoplasmic
reticulum

2. Central Vacuole
e

Ribosomes (small brwon dots)

and Tonoplast Central vacuole

Tonoplast
Golgi apparatus
Microfilaments
Intermediate
filaments
Microtubules

Mitochondrion
Peroxisome
Plasma membrane
Chloroplast
Cell wall
Plasmodesmata
Wall of adjacent cell
 Plant Cell Nuclear envelope
Rough
Nucleolus endoplasmic
NUCLEUS
Chromatin reticulum Smooth
Centrosom endoplasmic
e reticulum

Ribosomes (small brwon dots)

3. Chloroplast Central vacuole

Tonoplast
Golgi apparatus
Microfilaments
Intermediate
filaments
Microtubules

Mitochondrion
Peroxisome
Plasma membrane
Chloroplast
Cell wall
Plasmodesmata
Wall of adjacent cell
 Plant Cell

3. Chloroplast
 Plant Cell
Nuclear envelope
Rough
Nucleolus endoplasmic
NUCLEUS
Chromatin reticulum Smooth
Centrosom endoplasmic
e reticulum

Ribosomes (small brwon dots)

4. Plasmodesmata Central vacuole

Tonoplast
Golgi apparatus
Microfilaments
Intermediate
filaments
Microtubules

Mitochondrion
Peroxisome
Plasma membrane
Chloroplast
Cell wall
Plasmodesmata
Wall of adjacent cell
Animal Cell
1. Centriole
Animal Cell ENDOPLASMIC
Nuclear envelope
RETICULUM (ER)
NucleolusNUCLEUS
Rough ER Smooth ER
Chromatin
2. Lysosome Flagelium
Plasma membrane
Centrosome

CYTOSKELETON
Microfilaments
Intermediate filaments
Microt
Ribosomes
ubules

Microvilli

Golgi apparatus

Peroxisome
Lysosome
Mitochondrion
Activity

 For 3 minutes, review with your

seatmates what we’ve discussed!!!