Introduction to

BIOCHEMISTRY Medical Science

 Understand
Topic Outline diseases states in
 THE SCIENCE OF BIOCHEMISTRY molecular terms.
 THE ELEMENTS AND MOLECULES
OF LIVING SYSTEMS
 CHARACTERISTICS OF LIVING Physical Chemistry
SYSTEMS THE CELL  Describes
thermodynamics,
reaction kinetics and
THE SCIENCE OF BIOCHEMISTRY THE electrical parameters
EARLIEST ACTS AND APPLICATION OF of redox reaction
BIOCHEMISTRY IS WINE MAKING
PRACTICED BY MANY COUNTRIES FOR A Biophysics
THOUSAND OF YEARS. THIS PROCESS OF  Physics concepts of
BREAKING DOWN SUGAR MOLECULES IS structure for
WHAT WE CALL "GLYCOLYSIS" WHICH WE biomolecules
WILL ENCOUNTER IN THE LATTER PARTS
OF THIS COURSE.
Nutrition
Origin Of BiOchemistry  Illuminate
metabolism by
Biochemistry as a science started during the describing dietary
19th century pioneering the work of Friedrich recuirements for
Wohler. During this time, early biochemists had maintenance of
to overcome the doctrine of vitalism, which health.
claimed that living matter and non living matter
were fundamentally different through the action
of a mysterious "life force". Microbiology
 Microorganisms role
DURING WOHLER'S TIME. IT WAS BELIVED for elucidation of
THAT SUBSTANCES IN LIVING ORGANISMS metabo pauways
ARE SOMEHOW QUALITATIVELY ona regulatory
DIFFERENT FROM NON LIVING ORGANISMS mechanisms
AND DID NOT BEHAVE ACCORDING TO THE
KNOWN LAWS OF PHYSICS AND Physiology
CHEMISTRY.  Investigates life
HOWEVER, WOHLER IN 1828 SHOWED processes at the
THAT UREA, A SUBSTANCE OF BIOLOGICAL tissue and
ORIGIN, COULD BE SYNTHESIZED IN THE organisms level.
LABORATORY FROM THE INORGANIC
COMPOUND AMMONIUM ACETATE.

FRIEDRICH WOHLER Cell Biology

 must tell you that I  Describes metabolic
can prepare urea and mechanical
without requiring a division of labor
kidney or an animal, within a cell
either human or a
dog.
Genetics
Biochemistry as a Discipline  Analyzes
mechanism that give
and an Interdisciplinary a particu ar cell or
Science organism its
biochemical identity.
Organic Chemistry
 Properties and
reactions of carbon
containing
compounds
BIOCHEMISTRY IS FUNDAMENTALLY A Major differences between cell structures define
CHEMICAL SCIENCE. IT OBEYS THE LAWS the three great classes of organisms : bacterial,
OF PHYSICS AND CHEMISTRY LIKE NON archaeal and eukaryotic.
LIVING MATTER, AND IT DRAWS
KNOWLEDGE FROM CHEMISTRY, CELL o Today, classification of organisms are
BIOLOGY, GENETICS AND PHYSICS. IT IS based on biochemical analysis: DNA
THE STUDY OF THE COMPLETE DEFINITION nucleotide sequence determination.
OF LIFE IN MOLECULAR TERMS BY GIVING o Figure shows the "Molecular Tree of
EMPHASIS ON THE STRUCTURES AND Life" which classifies organisms based
REACTIONS OF BIOMOLECULES.THE MOST on ribosomal
COMMON ELEMENTS IN THE HUMAN BODY RNA sequence.
ARE: CARBON, OXYGEN, NITROGEN AND
HYDROGEN. Important Parts of the Cell and their Fuctions

 CARBON FORMS STABLE

COVALENT BONDS. NUCLEUS
o control center of the cell
 IT CAN FORM SINGLE, DOUBLE o houses all of the cells genetic
AND TRIPLE BONDS. information
o also controls other cellular activities
 HAS STRUCTURAL VERSATILITY such as cell growth, cell division,
AND ENORMOUS protein production and cell death.
 CHEMICAL DIVERSITY

 DIFFERENT STRUCTURES GIVE RIBOSOMES

RISE TO FUNCTIONAL DIVERSITY. o composed of proteins and rRNA
o blueprints of proteins from the DNA
are
'read' and interpreted by ribosomes
1953: THE PRIMORDIAL SOUP HYPOTHESIS o assembles amino acid sequences
WAS TESTED BY STANLEY MILLER

MILLER MIXED AMMONIA, METHANE,

WATER AND HYDROGEN IN A CLOSED MITOCHONDRIA
SYSTEM SUBJECTED TO CONTINOUS o provides energy for the biochemical
ELECTRICAL DISCHARGE. reactions of the cell, it is the
powerhouse of the cell
THIS SYSTEM WAS ANALYZED SHOWING o pumps out energy which is then stored
THAT IT PRODUCED SEVERAL AMINO in
ACIDS, CARBON MONOXIDE, CARBON o ATP
DIOXIDE AND HYDROGEN CYANIDE.

IT WAS ESTABLISHED THAT BIOLOGICAL ENDOPLASMIC RETICULUM

COMPOUNDS COULD HAVE BEEN o process and transport new materials
PRODUCED ABIOTICALLY. o rough ER tags newly-synthesized
proteins before transporting
o smooth ER is involved in hormone and
CHARACTERISTICS OF lipid synthesis
LIVING SYSTEM AND THE
CELL GOLGI APPARATUS
o processes and packages proteins and
The Unit of Biological lipid molecules after it left the ER
Organization: o molecules enter the golgi body and is
The Cell sorted out based on destination
o 1665 - Robert Hooke's observation of o remodelling of molecules are
plant tissue compartments. He called processed in the cisternae
them "cellulae" or cells. o modified molelecules are secreted out
o 1840 - Theodor Schwann proposed of the cell or to another organelle
that organisms exists as single cells of
aggregates of cells.
CYTOPLASM
o jelly-like substance that fills the interior
space of the cell
o mainly composed of water and some
salts, enzymes and organic molecules

LYSOSOME
 packed with digestive
enzumesbreakdown and recycle
unwanted material for the cell (old cell
parts,Hydrolytic enzymevirus, bacteria)
 plays an important role in apoptosis

CELL MEMBRANE
o Composed of a semi-permeable lipid
bilayer
o controls the entry and exit of
substances in the cell
o separates the interior of the cell to the
external surrounding

CHLOROPLASTS
o Site of photosynthesis
o light energy is used to convert carbon
dioxide and water into glucose
o chlorophyll harvests the sun's energy,
it also gives the green color of plants

CELL WALL
o Composed mainly of cellulose
o supports and protects plant cells
o Gives plant cells its characteristic
rectangular shape

VACUOLE
o Occupy 90% of the interior space of a
plant cell
o functions as storage and is filled with
sap, proteins, sugar, and other
molecules
o Maintains turgor pressure that helps
plants to keep its shape