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90% of the human body is composed of just four elements. They are carbon,
hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen. These elements combine to larger units called
molecules. There are two types of molecules in our bodies; organic and inorganic.
1. SALTS are found in body fluids. They are needed for muscle contraction and
nerve conduction.
2. WATER
The body is about 70% water. All of our bodys chemical reactions require it.
It keeps the body from overheating
It also prevents drastic changes in temperature.
Last spring, a baby finch collapsed with exhaustion on my patio. Since it was exhausted,
it probably wasnt good at finding food and water yet. That means it was dehydrated and
hungry. I knew to get an eyedropper and give it water with sugar in it because those are
the two main things it needs right away. We discussed water, now lets get to sugars.
ORGANIC MOLECULES are made of carbon, which is what our body is mostly
made of. The three main types of organic molecules in our body are carbohydrates,
lipids, and proteins.
c) CELLULOSE is only found in plant cell walls, and gives plant stems
and leaves their firmness. Our body is unable to break down this substance, so it just
passes through our digestive tract. That is what is referred to as eating fiber. It helps a
person who has constipation. You may have heard the term cellulite referring to fat.
However, there is no such thing; it is just regular fat, which well talk about now. Some
companies made up the term and said their cream can dissolve it: NO!
b) STEROIDS are lipids that have a very different structure than fats.
Steroids are formed from cholesterol, which is found in the cell
membranes of our body. An example of steroids that our body makes is
estrogen and testosterone.
3. PROTEINS are molecules that make up most of our body. Our hair, nails,
tissues, ligaments, cartilage, bone, tendons, muscles, and organs are made of
proteins. Other proteins we have are enzymes, which function to speed up metabolic
reactions and break down larger molecules into smaller ones. In order to understand
what a protein is, we have to talk about AAs.
a) AMINO ACIDS are the building blocks of protein. They are tiny
carbon molecules, made of just a carbon atom and a few other atoms. There are
only about 12 types of amino acids. They are like beads on a necklace. How they
are arranged on the string determines the type of necklace. Each bead is an amino
acid, and the whole necklace is the protein. A bunch of the same types of
necklaces (proteins) woven together makes up our tissues.
c) ATP is a type of protein that provides all the energy to cells. When food
is broken down to glucose for energy, ATP is what is released, which is the actual
energy molecule. The more ATP that is produced, the more energy we have. When
we inhale oxygen, it is used in a process called respiration, which produces ATP
for energy. That is why we breathe. Just remember that ATP is an energy
molecule.
This information will be useful in understanding proper nutrition when we get to that
section. In the meantime, now that you understand what these molecules are, next well
talk about what a typical cell in our body looks like.
CELL STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION
The fundamental units that make up all living things are called cells.
When cells cluster together and perform the same function, they are called tissues.
When tissues cluster together and perform the same function, they are called organs.
Organs cluster together to form organ systems, which result in the total organism.
The average cell (if there is such a thing) contains the following:
CELL ORGANIZATION
1. ORGANELLES: miniature organs that carry out particular functions.
2. RIBOSOMES: Little factories that make proteins out of amino acids.
3. CYTOPLASM: Jelly-like stuff in the cell around the organelles.
Contains the following:
a. Mostly water
b. Things dissolved in water (sugars like glucose, and energy molecules =ATP)
c. Cytoskeleton: made up of long protein fibers that extend throughout cytoplasm.
Function of cytoskeleton:
1) Maintains cell shape
2) Movement (such as muscle cell contraction, organelles within
the cell, or the cell itself moving around).
ORGANELLES
1. PLASMA MEMBRANE: Surrounds the entire cell.
Functions of the Plasma Membrane:
a. Selective movement of materials into and out of cell
b. communication with other cells and the environment
3. MITOCHONDRIA
Cells have hundreds of mitochondria.
Function of mitochondria is to make ATP (energy molecules).
NOTE: Mitochondria must have OXYGEN to convert nutrients to ATP for energy.
5. GOLGI COMPLEX
This is a complex system of membranous channels and saccules continuous with the
plasma membrane. Function of Golgi complex:
a. Packages the proteins made by the RER and sends them where they
need to go (like a UPS center!)
Cellular (aerobic) respiration is a process whereby cells use oxygen, produce carbon
dioxide, produce energy, and form ATP.
The rate of cell division is close to the rate of cell death. 200 billion red blood cells die
every day, so 200 billion red blood cells have to be made every day. Too few = anemia;
too many is also a problem.