1. Human Anatomy and Physiology I
The Chemical Basis of Life
Organic Compounds
Instructor: Mary Holman

2. Inorganic Compounds Usually smaller than organic molecules
Generally do not contain C*
Usually smaller than organic molecules
Usually dissociate in water, forming ions
Water, oxygen, carbon dioxide, and
inorganic salts
* exceptions: CO, CO2, HCO3

3. Important Inorganic Compounds
Water (H2O)
Most abundant compound in living material
Two-thirds of the weight of an adult human
Major component of all body fluids
Medium for most metabolic reactions
Important role in transporting chemicals in the body
Absorbs and transports heat
Oxygen (O2)
Used by organelles to release energy from
nutrients in order to drive cell’s metabolic activities
Necessary for survival

4. Important Inorganic Compounds
Carbon dioxide (CO2)
Waste product released during metabolic reactions
Must be removed from the body
Inorganic salts
Abundant in body fluids
Sources of necessary ions (Na+, Cl-, K+, Ca2+, etc.)
Play important roles in metabolism

5. Organic Compounds Contain C and H
Usually larger than inorganic molecules
Dissolve in water or organic liquids
Carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, nucleic acids, and adenosine triphosphate

6. Terminology used in describing units of organic compounds
monomer mono- “one unit”
dimer di “two units”
trimer tri “three units”
polymer poly- “many units”

7. Important Organic Compounds Carbohydrates
Provide energy to cells
Supply materials to build cell structures
Water-soluble
Contain C, H, and O
Ratio of H to O close to 2:1 (C6H12O6)
Building blocks (monomers) of carbohydrates are
monosaccharides (like glucose & fructose) and
disaccharides (like sucrose and lactose)
Glycogen,and cellulose are examples of
polysaccharides
Note: ending in “ose”

8. H O C H C O H H O C H H C O H H C O H H C O H H Glucose (C6H12O6)
Fig. 2.11a
Glucose (C6H12O6) H O C H C O H H O C H H C O H H C O H H C O H H
Some glucose molecules have a straight chain of carbon atoms.
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9. More commonly, glucose molecules form a ring structure.
Fig 2.11b
Glucose (C6H12O6) H H C O H C O H H H C C O H H O O H C C H O H
More commonly, glucose molecules form a ring structure.
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10. This shape symbolizes the ring structure of a
Fig 2.11c
Fig. 2.11c O
This shape symbolizes the ring structure of a
glucose molecule.
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11. Monosaccharide
Fig. 2.12a O
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12. Fig. 2.12b
Disaccharide O O O
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13. Fig. 2.12c
Polysaccharide O O O O O O
CH2 O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O
CH2 O O O O O O O O O
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14. Important Organic Compounds Lipids
Soluble in organic solvents; insoluble in water
Fats (triglycerides)
Used primarily for energy; most common lipid in the body
Contain C, H, and O but less O than carbohydrates (C57H110O6)
Building blocks are 1 glycerol and 3 fatty acids per molecule
Can be saturated and unsaturated
Phospholipids
Steroids

15. Saturated fatty acid Fig. 2.13a H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H O H O C
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16. Unsaturated fatty acid
Fig. 2.13b
Unsaturated fatty acid H H H H H H H H H H O H H O C C C C C C C C C C C C H H H H H H H H
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17. A Fat Molecule - Triglyceride
Fig. 2.14
A Fat Molecule - Triglyceride H O H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H C O C C C C C C C C C C C C C C C C H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H O H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H C O C C C C C C C C C C C C C C C C C C H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H O H H H H H H H H H H H H H H C O C C C C C C C C C C C C C C H H H H H H H H H H H H H
Glycerol
portion
Fatty acid
portions
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18. A Fat Molecule - Triglyceride
Fig. 2.15a
A Fat Molecule - Triglyceride H H C O
Fatty acid H C O
Fatty acid H C O
Fatty acid H
Glycerol portion
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19. A Phospholipid Molecule
Fig. 2.15b H H C O
Fatty acid H C O
Fatty acid O H H H H C O P O C C N H O – H H H
Phosphate
portion
(the unshaded portion may vary)
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20. of a phospholipid molecule
Fig. 2.15c
Schematic representation
of a phospholipid molecule
Water-insoluble
(hydrophobic)
“tail”
Water-soluble
(hydrophilic)
“head”
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21. Fig. 2.16a General structure of a steroid
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22. Important Organic Compounds Proteins
More complex than carbohydrates and lipids
Have a larger range of functions :
structural material, energy source,
hormones, receptors, enzymes,
antibodies
Contain N as well as C, H, and O and some contain S
Amino acids are the building blocks (monomers)
of proteins
There are twenty (20) different amino acids
Amino acids bind together by forming peptide bonds

23. General structure of an amino acid
Fig. 2.17a H N C C OH H H O
The portion common to all amino acids
is within the oval.
It includes the amino group (—NH2)
and the carboxyl group (—COOH).
The "R" group, or the "rest of the molecule,"
is what makes each amino acid unique.
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24. Fig. 2.17b H C H C C H H H C C H S C H C H H C H H N C C OH H N C C OH
(b) Cysteine. Cysteine has an
R group that contains sulfur.
Phenylalanine. Phenylalanine
has a complex R group.
Improper metabolism of
phenylalanine occurs in the
disease phenylketonuria.
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25. A Peptide Bond H O R O H N C C N C C OH H R H H Fig. 2.18 (H2O)
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26. Primary Structure of Proteins
Fig. 2.19a
Amino acids
Polypeptide chain
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27. Secondary Structure of Proteins
Fig. 2.19b
Secondary Structure of Proteins C C R H H H H N C O C C N R C O H N H O C H H H H C C H R R R N C N H O C N C C R O C O C N H O H R R H H R C C H C H H N C H N C O C N O H R C O H N O C H H H H H C C R R R N C N C N H O C R C O C H O C N H H O R R H R C C C H N C H H C N H N C O O H C O H N O H H C C
Coiled
structure
Pleated
structure
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28. Tertiary Structure of Proteins
Fig. 2.19c
Tertiary Structure of Proteins
Three-dimensional folding
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29. Quaternary Structure of Proteins
Fig. 2.19d
Two or more folded chains
may connect together
Hemoglobin molecule
Polypeptide chain b2
Polypeptide chain b1
Fig. 14.9a
Polypeptide chain a2
Polypeptide chain a1
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30. Important Organic Compounds Nucleic Acids
Huge molecules that contain C, H, O, N and P
Building blocks (monomers ) are nucleotides
Nucleic acids are of two varieties
Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)
Ribonucleic acid (RNA)

31. Basic Structure of a Nucleotide
Fig. 2.20 P
Base
Sugar
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32. Difference between sugar groups of DNA and RNA
Fig. 2.22 O O
HOCH OH
HOCH OH 2 2 C C C C H H H H H H H H C C C C OH H
Ribose
Deoxyribose
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33. RNA DNA Fig. 2.21 S P B P B B P S S S P P B B B P S S S P B P B B P S
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34. Important Organic Compounds Adenosine triphosphate - ATP
Energy currency of living systems
ATP stores energy in the form of 3
phosphate groups
When a phosphate group is removed
from ATP, energy is liberated and the
molecule is called ADP