Bio Molecules

Biomolecules There are four major biomolecules, which are: 1. Carbohydrates: • • •

Is the major source of energy for our body, it is made of hydrocarbon molecules Most foods contain carbohydrates, which the body breaks down into simple sugars. .Sugars provides living things with energy and act as substances used for structure. An example of structure might be the stem of a plant.

2. Proteins: •

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Protein builds up, maintains, and replaces the tissues in your body. The muscles, the organs, and the immune system are made up mostly of proteins. The body uses proteins to make hemoglobin (The part of red blood cells that carries oxygen to our body) They are also used to build cardiac muscle as the heart.

3. Lipids: •

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Lipids are large hydrocarbon molecules. One of its ends is attracted to water while the other end tries to get away from water. The cell membrane is made up of lipids because they can form a sphere with a space inside it. This lipid membrane, also, could move apart a little bit to let water or other molecules like proteins to pass through the cell membrane into the cell.

4. Nucleic acids: •

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The nucleic acids, deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA), are one of the basic classes of macromolecules studied in biochemistry. Nucleic acid, so called because of its prevalence in cellular nuclei. Nucleic acids may be single-stranded or double-stranded.

They made up the cell membrane Proteins

Lipids

Allow to pass proteins into the cell It is a hydrocarbon molecule

The DNA is a set of instructions for making proteins

It is made up of hydrocarbon molecules

Carbohydrates Nucleic Acids

But they also can cause some diseases. A very common disease related to biomolecules is the Sickle Cell Anemia

Sickle Cell Anemia: The sickle cell anemia is a serious disease in which the body makes sickleshaped red blood cells; it means that red blood cells have the form of “C”. The red blood cells in our body have an oval shaped like donuts without holes in the center, so they can move easily through the blood vessels. Instead, if they have this “C” shape they could not move easily through the blood vessels and they might get stuck. This is caused because by the hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is an iron-rich protein that gives red color to the blood cells and carries oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body. The sickle cells contain abnormal hemoglobin that causes cells to have a sickle shape. Blocked blood vessels can cause pain, serious infections, and organ damage.

This image shows the differences between a normal red blood cell and a sickle cell

And there are another diseases also related to biomolecules. In my family, my dad and my grandparents suffer of diabetes

Diabetes: There are two types: diabetes mellitus, the most common, and diabetes insipid. Diabetes mellitus is a syndrome of disordered metabolism, usually due to a combination of hereditary and environmental causes, resulting in abnormally high blood sugar levels. Blood glucose levels are controlled by a complex interaction of multiple chemicals and hormones in the body, including the hormone insulin made in the pancreas. This also affects the metabolism of carbohydrates, lipids and proteins.

Sources: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/Sca/SCA_WhatIs.htm www.wikipedia.com

Sandra Muñoz