BIOL 2001C - Fluids, Electrolytes & Organic Chemistry Study Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards created from the BIOL 2001C Fluids, Electrolytes & Organic Chemistry Condensed MEGA Study Notes.

Hydrolysis

A chemical reaction in which water is added to break larger molecules apart into smaller units.

Dehydration synthesis

A chemical reaction in which water is removed to build larger molecules from smaller units.

Intracellular fluid (ICF)

Fluid located inside cells, also known as cytosol, which contains most of the body's water.

Extracellular fluid (ECF)

Fluid located outside cells, composed of interstitial fluid (between cells) and plasma (the fluid portion of blood).

Electrolyte Distribution in Body Compartments

In ECF, the major cation is $Na^+$ and major anions are $Cl^-$ and $HCO_3^-$; in ICF, the major cation is $K^+$ and major anions are proteins.

Sodium Compartment Concentrations

Clinical electrolyte values where ECF $Na^+ \to \text{high} \thickapprox 140$ mEq and ICF $Na^+ \to \text{low} \thickapprox 10$ mEq.

Potassium Compartment Concentrations

Clinical electrolyte values where ICF $K^+ \to \text{high} \thickapprox 160$ mEq and ECF $K^+ \to \text{low} \thickapprox 3.5\text{--}5.5$ mEq.

Diffusion

Spontaneous net movement of solute and solvent from an area of HIGH concentration to an area of LOW concentration.

Osmosis

Movement of solvent (usually water) through a selectively permeable membrane from lower solute concentration to higher solute concentration.

Hypertonic solution

A solution with a higher solute concentration than the cell, causing water to leave the cell so that the cell shrivels.

Hypotonic solution

A solution with a lower solute concentration than the cell, causing water to enter the cell so that it swells and may lyse.

Isotonic solution

A solution with equal solute concentration relative to the cell, resulting in no major net water shift so the cell remains normal.

Dehydration

Loss of water without proportional electrolyte loss, causing extracellular fluid to become more concentrated and drawing water OUT of cells.

Overhydration

Addition of water without electrolytes, causing extracellular fluid to become more dilute and drawing water INTO cells.

pH scale formula

The formula $pH = -\text{log}[H^+]$, where each whole pH unit change represents a $10 \times$ change in $H^+$ concentration.

Buffer

A substance that minimizes changes in pH by accepting $H^+$ when there are too many or donating $H^+$ when there are too few.

Disaccharides

Two monosaccharides joined by a glycosidic linkage: Maltose (glucose + glucose), Lactose (galactose + glucose), and Sucrose (glucose + fructose).

Cellulose

A plant cell wall polysaccharide containing $\beta\text{-}1,4$ glycosidic bonds that humans cannot hydrolyze, acting as dietary fiber to help form stool.

Glycogen

A highly branched carbohydrate storage polysaccharide in animals and humans, stored mainly in the liver and muscle.

Structural Isomers

Molecules with the same chemical formula but different structural arrangements, such as glucose, galactose, and fructose.

Glucagon

A hormone produced by $\text{alpha}$ cells of pancreatic islets that functions to raise blood glucose levels.

Insulin

A hormone produced by $\text{beta}$ cells of pancreatic islets that functions to lower blood glucose levels.

Hyperglycemia

A condition characterized by a blood glucose concentration greater than $120\text{ mg/dL}$.

Hypoglycemia

A condition characterized by a blood glucose concentration less than $70\text{ mg/dL}$.

Saturated fatty acid

A fatty acid with all single carbon-carbon bonds and maximum hydrogens, forming straight chains that pack tightly and tend to be solid at room temperature.

Unsaturated fatty acid

A fatty acid with at least one $C=C$ double bond creating a kink, preventing tight packing and tending to be liquid at room temperature.

Triglyceride

A lipid molecule composed of $1$ glycerol and $3$ fatty acid chains formed by dehydration synthesis.

Phospholipid

A lipid composed of glycerol, $2$ fatty acids, and a phosphate group, featuring a polar hydrophilic head and nonpolar hydrophobic tails that form cell membrane bilayers.

Four Levels of Protein Structure

Primary (amino acid sequence), Secondary (hydrogen bonds in backbone forming $\text{alpha-helix}$ or $\text{beta-pleated sheet}$), Tertiary (R group interactions), and Quaternary (multiple tertiary subunits joined together).

Denaturation

The alteration or loss of a protein's normal secondary, tertiary, and/or quaternary structure due to factors like temperature, pH, organic solvents, or salt solutions.

Enzyme

A protein catalyst that speeds up chemical reactions to the speed of life by lowering activation energy without being consumed in the reaction.

Purines

Double-ring nitrogenous bases consisting of Adenine (A) and Guanine (G).

Pyrimidines

Single-ring nitrogenous bases consisting of Cytosine (C), Thymine (T), and Uracil (U).

DNA vs. RNA Differences

DNA is double stranded with deoxyribose sugar and bases A, T, C, G (A pairs T); RNA is single stranded with ribose sugar and bases A, U, C, G (U replaces T).

Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP)

An energy molecule consisting of adenine, ribose, and three negatively charged phosphate groups that releases usable energy via $ATP \rightarrow ADP + P + \text{energy}$.