University of Gondar

College of Medicine and Health Sciences

School of Medicine
Department of Biochemistry
Meseret Derbew (PH, MSc/Medical Biochemistry)
Assistant Professor of Medical Biochemistry
Email: messidrm19@gmail.com

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Course contents
 Introduction to Biochemistry
 Cell and cell organelle
 Water and PH
 Enzymes
 Proteins
 Carbohydrates
 Lipids
 Vitamins
 Bioenergetics
 Biochemistry II

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Reference Books
Basic medical biochemistry =Marks’

The foundation of Biochemistry=Lehninger

Text book of Biochemistry=Thomas M. Devlin

Illustrated Biochemistry=Harpers

Biochemistry=Lippincotts

Biochemistry =Lubert Stryer

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Introduction to Biochemistry and Cell

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 Objectives :
After the end of this session, students should able;
To define Biochemistry
To explain the role of biochemistry in medicine
 To list the building chemical elements of life
To explain the requirements for maximum survival of life
Differentiate prokaryotic and eukaryotic cell
List cell organelle and their function
List the makeup of membrane

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 Brainstorming

What is Biochemistry????
What do you expect from Biochemistry???

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 Introduction
 Biochemistry: Can be defined as the science concerned with the chemical basis
of life (Gk bios “life”)/chemistry of life
 Describe & explain, all chemical processes of living cells with clinical
significance !!
 The major objective of biochemistry is complete understanding of biochemical
process at cellular/molecular level.
 Basic principles of biochemistry are common to all living organism.

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 Three principle areas of Biochemistry

1. Structural Chemistry: Structure-function relationship for all

macromolecules
2. Metabolism: Totality of chemical reactions that occur in living organism,
with respective clinical correlation
3. Molecular Genetics: How life is replicated. Regulation of protein
synthesis
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 METABOLISM
 Metabolism is the sum of all the chemical process taking place in a cell through a
series of enzyme-catalyzed reactions that constitute metabolic pathways.
 The precursor is converted into a product through a series of metabolic
intermediates called metabolites.
 Metabolic intermediates is often applied to the combined activities of all the
metabolic pathways that interconvert precursors, metabolites, and products of
low molecular weight

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 Types of metabolism
1. Catabolism is the breakdown phase of metabolism in which organic nutrient
(carbohydrates, fats, and proteins) are converted into smaller, simpler end products
(such as lactic acid, CO2, NH3).
 Releases energy, in the form of ATP, GTP, NADH, and FADH2

2. Anabolism is the biosynthesis phase at which small, simple precursors are built up
into larger and more complex molecules, including lipids, polysaccharides, proteins,
and nucleic acids.
Require energy, generally in the form of ATP, GTP, NADH, and FADH2
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 Metabolism is critical for life to;
 Obtain chemical energy
 Convert nutrient molecules into the cell’s own characteristic molecules
 Polymerize monomeric precursors into macromolecules
 Synthesize and degrade biomolecules required for specialized cellular
functions

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 In order to meet the requirements of life, we metabolize our dietary components
through four basic types of Metabolic process :
Fuel oxidative pathways,
Fuel storage and mobilization pathways,
Biosynthetic pathways, and
Detoxification or waste disposal pathways.

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Cont..

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The main purpose of fuel oxidation is to generate ATP.

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 Biochemistry Is Essential
to All Life Sciences
 Molecular Biology; The biochemistry of the nucleic acids lies at the heart of
genetics
 Physiology; the study of body function, overlaps with biochemistry almost
completely
 Immunology; employs numerous biochemical techniques, and many
immunologic approaches have found wide use by biochemists.
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Conti…
 Pharmacology; knowledge of biochemistry in particular, most drugs are metabolized by
enzyme-catalyzed reactions.

 Pathology; Biochemical approaches are being used increasingly to study basic aspects of
disease, such as inflammation, cell injury, and cancer

 Microbiology, zoology, and botany; employ biochemical approaches almost exclusively

 In general Biochemistry is a common language for all life science because life fully depends
on biochemical reactions and processes.

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Biochemistry and Medicine are intimately related.
Biochemistry studies many aspects of health &disease

Health depends on a harmonious balance of biochemical

reactions occurring in the body
Disease reflects abnormalities in Biomolecules, Biochemical reactions, or
Biochemical processes.

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 Two-way street connecting biochemistry and medicine.

Biochemistry
Protein Vitamins: C,D
Nucleic Acid
Aminoacids CHO/
Nucleotides lipid
Insulin

Gout, Orotic acid Arteriosclerosis

urea ,Lesch-Nyhan Pku,albinism,
Cystinuria DM,Anemia,..

Sickle cell anemia Scurvy & Rickets

Genetic disease
Medicine
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 Organization of Life
 Elements
 Simple Organic Compounds (Monomers)
 Macromolecules (Polymers)
 Supramolecular Structures
 Organelles
 Cells
 Tissues
 Organs
 Organ Systems
 Organisms
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Elements in life
 Most abundant: C, N, O, P, S, H
 Less abundant: Na, Mg, K, Ca, Cl
 Trace levels: Mn, Fe, Co, Cu, Zn
 Many Important Biomolecules are Polymers
 Condensation of monomers produces polymers

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 Macromolecules of Cells
 Macro = Large
 Four types of macromolecules in cellular biology
1. Carbohydrates-Simple sugar (glucose, fructose, and galactose)
2. Lipids-Fatty acids and glycerol
3. Proteins-Amino acids
4. Nucleic Acids (DNA/RNA)-Nucleotides

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Cell; Cell Organelles and Cell
Membrane

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Basic Characteristics of Cells
Basic building blocks of life
Smallest living unit of an organism
Functional unit of life
Every cell comes from pre-existing cells
 Cells specialize for particular purposes
Many cannot be seen with the naked eye

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Comparing Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic Cells
Basic features of all cells:
 Plasma membrane
 Semi-fluid substance called the cytosol
 Carry genes
 Ribosomes (make proteins)

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 Prokaryotic Cell
Unicellular organisms, found in all environments.
Without a nucleus; no nuclear membrane
No membrane-bound organelles;
Cell contains only one circular DNA molecule in the cytoplasm;
Chromosome is naked (no histone);
Simple internal structure; and
Cell division by simple binary fission.
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Prokaryotic Cell

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 Eukaryotic Cell
Eukaryotic cells are found in animals, plants, fungi
Cell with a true nucleus,
Eukaryotic genome is more complex than that of prokaryotes
Eukaryotic DNA is linear;
Eukaryotic DNA is complexes with proteins called Histones;
Numerous membrane-bound organelles;
Complex internal structure;
Cell division by mitosis and miosis.
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Eukaryotic Cell
Eukaryotes are generally more advanced than prokaryotes

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The two major parts are the nucleus and the cytoplasm.
 The nucleus is separated from the cytoplasm by a nuclear membrane,
 The cytoplasm is separated from the surrounding by cell membrane

Protoplasm is composed mainly of five basic substances:

Water,
Electrolytes,
Proteins,
Lipids, and
Carbohydrates

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 Cell Membrane
phospholipid bilayer with polar heads and non-polar tail .

Membrane Physiology 30
Composition / make up of Membranous Structures:

Phospholipids = 25 percent

Proteins=55 percent;

Cholesterol = 13 percent

Fatty acids = 4 percents

Carbohydrates = 3 percent
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 Membrane proteins are variety of different proteins within the plasma membrane
that serve special functions in the complex.

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 Nucleus
♯ Holds DNA and controls cell functions.
♯Brain" of the cell:
♯The nucleus is the largest cellular organelle in animals .
♯The average diameter of approximately 6 micrometers

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Biological function of nucleus

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 Cytoplasm and its organelles
 The cytoplasm is filled with both minute and large dispersed particles and
organelles.
 The clear fluid portion of the cytoplasm in which the particles are dispersed is
called Cytosol;
 This contains mainly:
 Dissolved proteins,
 Electrolytes, and glucose.
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Metabolic Functions of the Cytoplasm

B
Purine Synthesis

Cholesterol Synthesis

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 Ribosomes

Found in both Prokaryotes and Eukaryotes

The machine for proteins synthesis via translation
Each cell contains thousands
Made up of RNA and protein
Found as attached or free of ER

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 Endoplasmic Reticulum

The organelle of cells in eukaryotic organisms that forms an interconnected network

of tubules, vesicles and cisternae.
Rough endoplasmic reticula
Smooth endoplasmic reticula

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Rough endoplasmic reticula:
A network of interconnected membranes forming channels in the cell.
Covered with ribosomes (causing the "rough" appearance)
Site for protein synthesis processing

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 Smooth Endoplasmic Reticula:
A network of interconnected membranes .
 A site for synthesis and metabolism of lipids.
Also contains enzymes for detoxifying chemicals including
drugs and pesticides.
 Eukaryotes only
Stores calcium ions in muscle cells

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Metabolic function of endoplasmic reticulum

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 Golgi Complex

 The Golgi apparatus, found in most eukaryotic cells .

Processes proteins, primarily Glycosylation.
 Important in the processing of proteins for secretion.
 Important in modifying, sorting, and packaging of proteins

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 A simplified “Road Map" of protein traffic.

Proteins can move from one compartment to another by:

o gated transport ( red),
o Trans-membrane transport ( blue),
o vesicular transport ( green).

o Signal Peptides and Signal Patches Direct Proteins to the Correct Cellular Address
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 Peroxisomes

 Are small organelles present in eukaryotic cell

 formed by budding from smooth endoplasmic reticulum (ER)

 Contain catalase enzyme to detoxified toxic hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)

 β-oxidation for very long chain fatty acids

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 Cytoskeleton

 Are complex network of protein fibers that found in most eukaryotic cells
 Microtubules: Made up of the self assembly of the tubulin
 Microfilaments: made up of the contractile protein actin
 Intermediate filaments: made up of various proteins

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 Function
 For the assembly and disassembly of the spindle structures during mitosis
 Provide organizational framework for organelles
 For the generation of forces for internal cell motion (cilia and flagella)
 Structural support for nuclear membrane

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 Lysosomes

Lysosomes serve as the intracellular “digestive system”.

Lysosomes containing powerful hydrolytic enzymes .
Capable of digesting and removing unwanted cellular debris

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 Mitochondria

♯A mitochondrion contains outer and inner membranes

♯ The mitochondria, “powerhouses” of the cell
♯ Perform the oxidative phosphorylation via ETC
♯ Contains its own DNA

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Metabolic functions of Mitochondria

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Cell organelles and Markers

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 Summary
 Cytosol: Involved in protein synthesis, purine synthesis, carbohydrate metabolism, HMP shunt. Lipid
metabolism- FA synthesis, cholesterol synthesis, partly heme synthesis, urea formation and pyrimidine
synthesis.

 Mitochondria: Power house of the cell, ETC and ATP synthesis, TCA cycle, β-oxidation of fatty acids,
ketone body formation, partly heme synthesis, urea synthesis, gluconeogenesis, pyrimidine synthesis.

 Nucleus: DNA replication and transcription.

 Endoplasmic reticulum: Biogenesis of proteins, lipoproteins, drug metabolism, ethanol oxidation,
synthesis of cholesterol (partly).

 Golgi body: Maturation of synthesized proteins, protein sorting, packaging and secretion.
 Lysosomes: Degradation of proteins carbohydrates, lipids and nucleotides. 51
 Any
Question?

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