BIOCHEMISTRY

Introduction
MITOS D. DELCO, RN, Ph.D.
Professor, College of Health Sciences
Schedules for Biochemistry Class
•Biochemistry (3/2 Units) for BSN Level 1-C
•Day/Time Schedules: MTW:3-6PM (Lecture/LAB)
•Mobile Contact #: 09159001725/09230885667
•Email: [email protected]
CLASS ORIENTATION
UNIVERSITY VISION
A leading University in advancing scholarly innovation, multi-
cultural convergence, and responsive public service in a
borderless Region
• UNIVERSITY MISSION
The university shall primary provide advanced instruction
and professional training in science and technology,
agriculture, fisheries, education, and other relevant field of
study. It shall also undertake research and extension
services, and provide progressive leadership in its area of
specialization.
 Core Values
Patriotism
Respect
Integrity
Zeal
Excellent in Public Service
 Strategic Goals
•Deliver quality services to stakeholders to address current and
future needs in instruction, research, extension, and production
•Observe strict implementation of the laws as well as the policies
and regulations of the University
•Acquire with urgency state-of-the-art resources for its service areas
•Bolster the relationship of the University with its local
and international customers and partners.
•Leverage the qualifications and competence in personnel action
and staffing.
•Evaluate the efficiency and responsiveness of the University
systems and processes.
Core Nursing Values
• Human dignity
• Altruism
• Integrity
• Social justice
• Autonomy
Program Objectives (BSN)
BSN aims to prepare a nurse who can:
a. Demonstrate professionalism in the clinical practice.
b. Practice collaborative attitude imbued with the core values
of nursing.
c. Produce needs-based and relevant researches in the
nursing profession.
d. Preserve professional and Filipino values with respect to
individual and cultural diversity; and
e. Implement programs relevant to the needs of the community.
What is Biochemistry?
• Scientific discipline that seeks to explain life at the
molecular level.
• It is a practical science:
•Generate powerful techniques that underlie advances in
other fields
•It offers insights for the treatment of diseases
•It improves the efficiency of industries (waste water
treatment, food production, and drug manufacturing
What is Biochemistry?
• Biochemistry is a branch of science concerned with the
chemical basis of life. It deals with the structure, properties
and chemical reactions of biomolecules that are present in
a living system.
• Living systems biomolecules: carbohydrates, proteins,
lipids, vitamins, minerals, water and nucleic acid, etc. Life
depends on the interaction of various biomolecules and
biochemical reactions. Any abnormalities in these process
may lead to disease.
Importance of Biochemistry
• It is used in many daily activities.
• It is used in clinical diagnosis, manufacture of various
biological products, treatment of diseases, in
nutrition, agriculture, etc.
• The study of biochemistry helps one understand the
actual chemical concepts of biology. That is the
functioning of various body processes and physiology by
uses of biomolecules.
Importance of biochemistry in NURSING
•Almost all the diseases or disorders have some biochemical
involvement. So the diagnosis of any clinical condition is
easily possible by biochemical estimations.
•Kidney function test: For example in kidney disorders, other
chemotherapy treatment etc urine test help understand the
extent of excretion of drugs or other metabolites, the change in
pH, the color of urine etc.
•Blood test: In diabetes, biochemical analytical test for blood
glucose level (above 150mg/ deciliter helps one understand the
severity of diabetes disorder. Another biochemical test for ketones
bodies in urine also indicates the stage of diabetes. The appearance
of ketone bodies or ketone urea is mostly the last stage of diabetes.
Importance of biochemistry in NURSING
• Liver function tests help understand the type of disease or
damage to the liver, the effect of any medication on liver
etc.
• Serum cholesterol test: Evaluation of blood cholesterol
level and other lipoproteins helps understand the
proneness of the patient to cardiovascular diseases.
• ***nurse monitor the patient’s condition regularly
during the treatment
Three Major Themes in Biochemistry
1. Living organisms are made of macromolecules. Some molecules are
responsible for the physical shapes of cells. Others carry out various
activities in the cell. In all cases, the structure of a molecule is
intimately linked to its function
2. Organisms acquire, transform, store, and use energy. The ability of a cell
to carry out metabolic reactions—to synthesize its constituents and to
move, grow, and reproduce—requires the input of energy. A cell must
extract this energy from the environment and spend it or store it in a
manageable form.
3.
Biological information is transmitted from generation to generation. In all
organisms, the genetic information that specifies a cell’s structural
composition and functional capacity must be safely maintained and
transmitted each time the cell divides.
Other Biochemistry Themes
• Cells maintain a state of homeostasis. In order to remain in
a steady, non-equilibrium state—homeostasis—the cell
must recognize changing internal and external conditions
and regulate its activities.
• Organisms evolve. Over long periods of time, the genetic
composition of a population of organisms changes.
Examining the molecular makeup of living organisms
allows biochemists to identify the genetic features that
distinguish groups of organisms and to trace their
evolutionary history.
Other Biochemistry Themes
• Diseases can be explained at the biochemical level.
Identifying the molecular defects that underlie
human diseases, or investigating the pathways that
allow one organism to infect another, is the first step
in diagnosing, treating, preventing, or curing a host of
ailments.
 Other Important Elements:
The living matter • Ca
Six Elements: •K
• Carbon •Na
• Hydrogen •Cl
•Mg
• Oxygen
•Fe
• Nitrogen •Cu
• Phosphorus •Co
• Sulfur •I
•Zn
• Constitute about 90% •F
of the dry weight of the •Mo
human body •Se
Carbon
• most predominant and unique/versatile element
of life.
• lt possesses a unique property to form
infinite number of compounds.
• This is attributed to the ability of carbon to form
stable covalent bonds and C-C chains of
unlimited length.
• lt is estimated that about 90% of compounds found
in living system invariably contain carbon.
Chemical Molecules of Life
• Escherichia coli contains about 6.000 different
organic compounds
• Human may contain about 100,000 different types
of molecules although only a few of them have been
characterized
Structural Hierarchy of an Organism
• Macromolecules:
• Proteins
• Lipids
• Nucleic acids
• Polysaccharides
•Form supramolecular assemblies (e.g. membranes) which
in turn organize into:
• ORGANELLES
• CELLS
• TISSUES
• ORGANS
• WHOLE ORGANISM
 Major complex biomolecules of cells
Biomolecule Building block Major functions
(Repeating unit)
Protein Amino acids Fundamental basis of
structure and function of cell
(static and dynamic
functions).
Deoxyribonucl Deoxyribonucleo- Repository of hereditary
eic acid (DNA) tides information.
Ribonucleic Ribonucleotides Essentially required for protein
acid (RNA) biosynthesis
Polysaccharide Monosaccharides Storage form of energy to meet
(glycogen) (glucose) short term demands.
 The Cell
• Chemical composition of a normal man (weight 65 kg)
Constituent Percent Weight
(%) (kg)
Water 61.6 40
Protein 17.0 11
Lipid 13.8 9
Carbohydrates 1.5 1
Minerals 6.1 4
The Cell
1. Prokaryotes (Greek : pro - before; karyon - nucleus) lack a
well defined nucleus and possess relatively simple
structure. These include the various bacteria.

2. Eukaryotes (Greek: eu-true; karyon-nucleus) possess a

well defined nucleus and are more complex in their structure
and function. The higher organisms (animals and plants) are
composed of eukaryotic cells
 Comparison between prokaryotic and
eukaryotic cells
Characteristic Prokaryotic cell Eukaryotic
cell
1. Size Small (generally 1-10um) Large (generally 10-100um)
2. Cell membrane Cell is enveloped by a rigid cell wall Cell is enveloped by a flexible plasma membrane

3. Sub-cellular organelles Absent Distinct organelles are found (e.g. mitochondria,

nucleus, lysosomes)

4. Nucleus Not well defined; DNA is found as Nucleus is well defined, surrounded by a
nucleoid, histones are absent membrane; DNA is associated with histones

5. Energy metabolism Mitochondria absent, enzymes of Enzymes of energy metabolism are located in
energy mitochondria
metabolism bound to membrane

6. Cell division Usually fission and no mitosis Mitosis

7. Cytoplasm Organelles and cytoskeleton Contains organelles and cytoskeleton (a network of
THE CELL
Cell & Tissue Biology
•Cytoskeleton
•Tissues
Epithelial Tissue
Connective Tissue
Nerve Tissue
Muscle Tissue
Cell Biology
•Autotrophs vs Heterotrophs
• according to energy pathways:
•Autotrophs: make energy-
containing organic molecules
from inorganic raw materials
by using basic energy sources
as sunlight (photosynthesis)
 Short quiz 1 (10 pts)
• List at least 5 key terms
that you have learned
today and simply define
them.