1. Important Organic Molecules in Cells
Carbon covalently bonded to hydrogen in the molecule

2. Carbohydrates
FUNCTION: main source of energy in cells; some structural
Building blocks: monosaccharides or simple sugars
Examples: glucose, sucrose, glycogen
Disaccharides: two simple sugars linked
Polysaccharides: many simple sugars

3. Lipids
FUNCTION: Energy storage; structural component of membranes; metabolic biochemicals
Building blocks: fatty acids, many times glycerol
Examples: phospholipids, triglycerides, steroid hormones (e.g. testosterone)
*Steroid molecules contain no fatty acids*

4. Proteins FUNCTION: important cell structure component; ENZYMES
Building blocks: amino acids held together by peptide bonds
Examples: hemoglobin, amylase
Polypeptide: chain of amino acids; could be a whole protein OR component
Hydrogen bonds hold polypeptide chains in the special shape that determines function of a protein

5. Nucleic Acids FUNCTION: Store and transmit genetic information
Building blocks: nucleotides
Sugar
Phosphate
Nitrogen containing base
Examples: DNA, RNA
DNA—two chains of nucleotides running in opposite directions (held together by hydrogen bonds)