Cellular Biochemistry and Functional Groups

A set of vocabulary flashcards covering basic functional groups, blood pressure regulation, molecular solubility, membrane biology, and anesthetic properties.

Low-Sodium Diet

A dietary approach used to decrease incoming sodium atoms, reducing water volume and heart workload to prevent cellular swelling and heart attacks.

Potassium

A mineral abundant in fruits that helps lower blood pressure through volume, hydrogen bonding, and spheres of hydration.

Hydroxyl Group ($\text{OH}$)

A functional group found on sugars and ethanol that binds water through hydrogen bonds, making molecules water-soluble.

Methyl / Fatty Hydrocarbons

Nonpolar carbon-hydrogen groups that share electrons equally without partial charges, making molecules lipid-soluble and water-insoluble.

Carboxyl Group

A functional group containing a double-bonded oxygen and a hydroxyl group that typically carries a negative charge at physiological $\text{pH}$ and becomes lipid-soluble when protonated in acidic conditions.

Physiological $\text{pH}$

The normal $\text{pH}$ level of human blood and bodily fluids, approximately $7.35$.

Aspirin

A medication containing two carboxyl groups that becomes less water-soluble and more lipid-soluble in acidic stomach environments, enabling absorption into the bloodstream.

Amino Group

A functional group that gains a positive charge by picking up an extra proton ($\text{NH}_3^+$), making the molecule highly water-soluble.

$$\text{pK}$$

The unique $\text{pH}$ value for a specific functional group at which it is halfway protonated and halfway deprotonated.

Phosphate Group ($\text{PO}_4$)

A negatively charged functional group ($\text{PO}_4^{-}$) added to specific amino acids like serine to make proteins more water-soluble.

Hydrophobic

The property of a molecule that does not dissolve in water.

Hydrophilic

The property of a molecule that dissolves readily in water.

Lipophilic

The property of a molecule that dissolves in lipids or fats.

DDT

A lipid-soluble, carcinogenic insecticide that accumulates in body fat due to its hydrophobic nature.

Amphipathic

Describing a molecule that contains both polar (water-soluble) and nonpolar (lipid-soluble) regions on the same structure.

Fatty Acid

An amphipathic molecule composed of a nonpolar hydrocarbon chain tail and a polar, negatively charged carboxyl head.

Bile

A greenish, soap-like substance stored in the gallbladder that emulsifies dietary fats into lipid droplets called micelles for digestion.

Intravenous (IV) Anesthetics

Water-soluble anesthetic drugs containing carboxyl, phosphate, or amino groups that allow them to dissolve directly in blood.

Glycogen

The storage form of carbohydrates found in the liver.

Phospholipid

A membrane lipid attached to a phosphate group, which locks the molecule in place within the lipid bilayer to prevent unwanted migration.

Cholesterol

A steroid produced by the body (primarily at night) that functions as a membrane space filler and acts as a structural base for bile.