BIOCHEMISTRY FOR MEDICAL LABORATORY
SCIENCE [LEC]
MLSBCHMC | LESSON 2
LESSON 2: CARBOHYDRATES PART 1
CARBOHYDRATES CHIRALITY: HANDEDNESS IN
MOLECULES
• Major source of energy from diet.
• Formula: C6H12O6 • HANDEDNESS
o From – Cn(H2O)n o Left-handed
o “Hydrate of Carbon”
o Right-handed
• Composed of Carbon, Hydrogen, and
Oxygen. • PRESENCE OF CHIRAL CENTERS
• Known as saccharides (sugars). • ISOMERS
• Produced by photosynthesis in plants. o Structural Isomers
• Glucose is synthesized in plants from CO2. o Stereoisomers
H2On and energy from the sun.
• Oxidized in living cells (respiration) to MIRROR IMAGES
produce CO2, H2O, and energy.
• Polyhydroxy aldehydes, polyhydroxy • Reflection of an object in a mirror.
ketones, or compounds that yield after • Two classes:
hydrolysis (breakdown of glucose). o Superimposable mirror images –
• Carbohydrate glucose = polyhydroxy images that coincide at all points
aldehyde.
when the images are laid upon each
o CHO – aldehyde group
• Carbohydrate fructose = polyhydroxy other.
ketone. o Nonsuperimposable mirror
o C=O – ketone group images – images where not all
points coincide when the images
FUNCTIONS
are laid upon each other.
• Carbohydrate oxidation provides energy. • Human hands – nonsuperimposable mirror
• Carbohydrate storage, in the form of images.
glycogen, provides a short-term energy
reserve. CHIRALITY
• Carbohydrates supply carbon atoms from the HANDEDNESS
synthesis of other biochemical substances. • Some molecules possess handedness.
• Carbohydrates form part of the structural • For organic and bioorganic compounds:
framework of DNA and RNA molecules. o Structural requirement: presence
• Carbohydrates linked to lipids are structural of carbon atom that has four
components of cell membranes. different groups bonded to it in a
• Carbohydrates linked to proteins function in tetrahedral orientation.
a variety of cell-cell and cell-molecule o Tetrahedral orientation
recognition processes. requirement: met only if the bonds to
• Regulation of blood sugars. the four different groups are all single
• Source of dietary fibers. bonds.
1|P a g e | B S T
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY
SCIENCE [LEC]
MLSBCHMC | LESSON 2
LESSON 2: CARBOHYDRATES PART 1
CARBOHYDRATES CHIRALITY: HANDEDNESS IN
MOLECULES
• Major source of energy from diet.
• Formula: C6H12O6 • HANDEDNESS
o From – Cn(H2O)n o Left-handed
o “Hydrate of Carbon”
o Right-handed
• Composed of Carbon, Hydrogen, and
Oxygen. • PRESENCE OF CHIRAL CENTERS
• Known as saccharides (sugars). • ISOMERS
• Produced by photosynthesis in plants. o Structural Isomers
• Glucose is synthesized in plants from CO2. o Stereoisomers
H2On and energy from the sun.
• Oxidized in living cells (respiration) to MIRROR IMAGES
produce CO2, H2O, and energy.
• Polyhydroxy aldehydes, polyhydroxy • Reflection of an object in a mirror.
ketones, or compounds that yield after • Two classes:
hydrolysis (breakdown of glucose). o Superimposable mirror images –
• Carbohydrate glucose = polyhydroxy images that coincide at all points
aldehyde.
when the images are laid upon each
o CHO – aldehyde group
• Carbohydrate fructose = polyhydroxy other.
ketone. o Nonsuperimposable mirror
o C=O – ketone group images – images where not all
points coincide when the images
FUNCTIONS
are laid upon each other.
• Carbohydrate oxidation provides energy. • Human hands – nonsuperimposable mirror
• Carbohydrate storage, in the form of images.
glycogen, provides a short-term energy
reserve. CHIRALITY
• Carbohydrates supply carbon atoms from the HANDEDNESS
synthesis of other biochemical substances. • Some molecules possess handedness.
• Carbohydrates form part of the structural • For organic and bioorganic compounds:
framework of DNA and RNA molecules. o Structural requirement: presence
• Carbohydrates linked to lipids are structural of carbon atom that has four
components of cell membranes. different groups bonded to it in a
• Carbohydrates linked to proteins function in tetrahedral orientation.
a variety of cell-cell and cell-molecule o Tetrahedral orientation
recognition processes. requirement: met only if the bonds to
• Regulation of blood sugars. the four different groups are all single
• Source of dietary fibers. bonds.
1|P a g e | B S T
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY
