Life for Medicine Students
Physical and Chemical sciences alonePhysical and Chemical sciences alone
may not completely explain the nature ofmay not completely explain the nature of
life, but they at least provide the essentiallife, but they at least provide the essential
framework for such an explanationframework for such an explanation
 All students of life must have a All students of life must have a
fundamental understandin! of or!anicfundamental understandin! of or!anic
chemistry and biochemistrychemistry and biochemistry
 
Organic Chemistry
rganic Chemistry
"r!anic chemistry is the study of Carbon"r!anic chemistry is the study of Carbon
compoundscompounds
composed primarily of a Carboncomposed primarily of a Carbon
skeletonskeleton
 All livin! thin!s are composed of or!anic All livin! thin!s are composed of or!anic
compoundscompounds
Organic Chemistry
rganic Chemistry
#hat makes Carbon Special$ #hy is#hat makes Carbon Special$ #hy is
Carbon so different from all the otherCarbon so different from all the other
elements on the periodic table$elements on the periodic table$
%he answer derives from the ability of%he answer derives from the ability of
Carbon atoms to bond to!ether to formCarbon atoms to bond to!ether to form
lon! chains and rin!slon! chains and rin!s
 
to four other atoms
Carbon atoms
  iochemistry
iochemistry
)iochemistry is a special branch of)iochemistry is a special branch of
or!anic chemistry that deals with matteror!anic chemistry that deals with matter
inside the livin! cell calledinside the livin! cell called ProtoplasmProtoplasm
Protoplasm is an enormously complexProtoplasm is an enormously complex
mixture of or!anic compounds wheremixture of or!anic compounds where
 
respiration, and
protein synthesis
 
Monomers
onomers
1ach of these types of molecules are1ach of these types of molecules are
polymers that are assembled from sin!lepolymers that are assembled from sin!le
units called monomersunits called monomers
1ach type of macromolecule is an1ach type of macromolecule is an
assembla!e of a different type ofassembla!e of a different type of
monomermonomer
-ydrocarbon chains-ydrocarbon chains
In condensation reactions 3also calledIn condensation reactions 3also called
dehydration synthesis4, a molecule ofdehydration synthesis4, a molecule of
water is removed from two monomers aswater is removed from two monomers as
they are connected to!etherthey are connected to!ether
 
$ydrolysis
ydrolysis
In a reaction opposite to condensation, aIn a reaction opposite to condensation, a
water molecule can be added 3alon! withwater molecule can be added 3alon! with
the use of an en5yme4 to split a polymerthe use of an en5yme4 to split a polymer
in twoin two
Carbohydrates are made of carbon,Carbohydrates are made of carbon,
hydro!en, and oxy!en atoms, always inhydro!en, and oxy!en atoms, always in
a ratio of &0*0&a ratio of &0*0&
Carbohydrates are the key source ofCarbohydrates are the key source of
ener!y used by livin! thin!sener!y used by livin! thin!s
 
mono6, di6, oli!o6,mono6, di6, oli!o6,
and poly mean$and poly mean$
1ach of these roots1ach of these roots
can be added to thecan be added to the
word saccharide toword saccharide to
describe the type ofdescribe the type of
carbohydrate youcarbohydrate you
combine to make a
ombine to make a
Lipids
ipids
Lipids are molecules that consist of lon!Lipids are molecules that consist of lon!
hydrocarbon chains Attachin! the threehydrocarbon chains Attachin! the three
chains to!ether is usually a !lycerolchains to!ether is usually a !lycerol
molecule Lipids are ("(polarmolecule Lipids are ("(polar
 
Proteins are buildin! blocks of structuresProteins are buildin! blocks of structures
called amino acids Proteins are whatcalled amino acids Proteins are what
your '(A codes to make 3we will talkyour '(A codes to make 3we will talk
about this in !reat detail in a month orabout this in !reat detail in a month or
so4so4
 A peptide bond forms between amino A peptide bond forms between amino
acids by dehydration synthesisacids by dehydration synthesis
 
-elices and Sheets-elices and Sheets
'isulfide brid!es'isulfide brid!es