Macromolecules

• 4 types of macromolecules

  • carbohydrates
  • proteins
  • lipids
  • nucleic acids
• Carbohydrates


  composed of C, H, and O atoms in a C1H2O1 ratio.
• 3 types of carbohydrates

  • monosaccharides
  • disaccharides
  • polysaccharides
• Functions of carbohydrates

  • used for energy (50% - 60% of your calories should come from carbs).
  • used for cell structure in plant cell walls, and in insect cytoskeleton.
• Monosaccharides (simple carbohydrates)

  • Function: energy for cells.
  • Examples: glucose (plants), fructose (fruit), dextrose (corn), galactose (milk)
• Disaccharides (simple carbohydrates)

  • Function: energy for cells.
  • Examples: sucrose (table sugar), lactose (milk sugar), maltose (malt sugar)
• Condesation reaction


  a chemical reaction in which two molecules react with each other with the concurrent loss of a molecule of water
• Hydrolysis


  a chemical process in which a molecule is cleaved into two parts by the addition of a molecule of water.
• Functions of Lipids

  • energy storage
  • cell membranes
  • hormone formation
  • healthy skin and hair
  • insulation and protection of body organs
• What does lipid look like?

  lipids are made up of 3 fatty acids attached to a glycerol molecule.
• Atherosclerosis


  the process of the arteries becoming progressively narrower. Caused by eating too many saturated fats
• Proteins


  polypeptides (plural) are made of amino acids joined by peptide bonds in a linear chain and folded into a globular form.
• Functions of Proteins

  • Structural component of hair, nails, tissues, and organs (collagen, keratin)
  • Hormone production can also be protein based (growth hormones, insulin)
  • Facilitate the transport of substances in the cell (transporter proteins)
  • Provides bodily strength such as those found in the bone, cartilage and tendons (collagen)
  • Provides the body of immunity against foreign substances (immunoglobulins)
  • Enzymes or catalyst to every biochemical reaction
• Macromolecules


  an extremely large molecule called polymer, made up of many smaller molecules called monomer 
• Macromolecule


  they are usually found in your cell, tissues, and food you eat 
• Macromolecule

  composed of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorous
• Monomer


  building block of a larger molecule
• Polymer


  long strand of smaller monomers
• building blocks of carbohydrates

  monosaccharides
• glucose


  synthesized during photosynthesis by plants. it is required by cells during cellular respiration
• Disaccharides 


  two monosaccharides bonded together
• polysaccharides


  long strings of monosaccharides bonded together
• Examples of polysaccharides

  starch, fiber, glycogen
• starch


  – can be digested

  – prevents constipation and colon cancer and clogged arteries 
• chitin


  a kind of carbohydrate with nitrogen component
• fiber


  cannot be digested by humans
• glycogen


  used to store extra glucose in the liver for times when you haven't eaten
• lipids


  they are hydrophobic (scared of water) and non-polar
• Saturated fats


  fats that have no double bonds between the carbon atoms of the fatty acid chain and are thus fully saturated with hydrogen atoms
• saturated fats


  usually found in animal products such as butter, cheese, whole milk, ice cream, cream, and fatty meats, and oils such as coconut, palm, and kernel oil 
• Unsaturated fats


  fats in which there is at least one double bond within the fatty acid chain
• phospholipids


  contains glycerol and two fatty acids linked to a phosphate group
• phospholipids


  most abundant component of cell membrane that allows cell to be selectively permeable to any substances that enters or leaves
• steroids


  complex alcohols with fatlike properties
• cholesterol


  most important steroid which is found in the cell membrane, raw material of vitamin D, steroid hormones and bile salts
• nucleic acid


  store and transmit genetic materials
• two types of nucleic acid

  RNA and DNA
• nucleotides


  monomers of nucleic acid
• fiber


  washes out toxins in the body
• unsaturated fats

  pre-courier or attracts good cholesterol, and are mostly plant-based oils