The Minerals and their Functions in Organisms

Anec  > Biology > Material in life

Minerals are not very abundant in living organisms, accounting for about 1 to 1.5%, and are generally present as ions. However, they have an important role in supporting life activities.

1. It is one of the raw materials that make up cells. For instance, phosphor is the composition of cell membrane, RNA and DNA; iron is one of the building block of cytochromes and hemoglobin; magnesium is the composition of chlorophyll.

2. It regulates cellular osmotic pressure and pH. The greater concentration of mineral, the higher osmotic pressure, and vice versa. For example, Na⁺ maintains the osmotic pressure of extracellular fluid; K⁺ maintains intracellular osmotic pressure; HCO₃⁺ and H₂PO₄⁺ are blood pH buffers which can maintain pH stable.

3. It is involved in the metabolism of living organisms. Many inorganic ions are one of the components of enzymes, hormones or vitamins, or activators and inhibitors of enzymes. Magnesium ion is the activator of many enzymes. If the concentration of calcium ions is too low in the blood, convulsions will occur. They are also very important for stopping bleeding. If there is a lack of calcium ions, it is difficult for blood to form clots around the wound, resulting in a bleeding wound.

Frequently Asked Questions

氨基酸

水溶性

有机溶剂


Methionine(M)

33g/L,25℃

极微溶于95%的乙醇,极难溶于无水乙醇,几乎不溶于乙醚


Arginine(R)

148.7 g/L,20℃

极微溶于乙醇,不溶于乙醚


Aspartic acid(D)

5g/L,25ºC

难溶于乙醇和乙醚


Asparagine(N)

20 g/L ,20 ºC

几乎不溶于乙醇和乙醚


Alanine(A)

170g/L,25℃

溶于乙醇,不溶于乙醚和丙酮


Glutamic acid(E)

7.5 g/L,20 ºC

几乎不溶于乙醚、丙酮及冷醋酸中,也不溶于乙醇和甲醇


Glutamine(Q)

25g/L,20 ºC

不溶于甲醇、乙醇、醚、苯、丙酮、氯仿和乙酸乙酯


Glycine(G)

250g/L,25℃

几乎不溶于乙醇或乙醚

Histidine(H)

41.9g/L,25℃

极微溶于醇,不溶于醚和氯仿

Proline(P)

水中溶解度比任何氨基酸都大,25℃时100g水中可溶162 g左右

可溶于乙醇


Serine(S)

250 g/L,20 ºC



Cysteine(C)

280 g/L,25 ºC

溶于乙醇、乙酸和氨水,不溶于乙醚、丙酮、乙酸乙酯、苯、二硫化碳和四氯化碳


Lysine(K)

100g/L,20℃

不溶于乙醇、乙醚、丙酮、苯和普通中性溶剂


Phenylalanine(F)

16.5g/L,20 °C

难溶于甲醇、乙醇、乙醚


Isoleucine(I)

34.5g/L,25 ºC

微溶于乙醇


Leucine(L)

22.4 g/L ,20 C

在甲酸中易溶,在乙醇或乙醚中极微溶解

Tryptophan

11.4 g/L,25 ºC

微溶于乙醇,溶于甲酸,不溶于氯仿和乙醚

Anec  > Biology > Material in life

More