Cytidine
Cytidine
Cytidine (/saɪˈtiːdiːn/ sy-TEE-deen) is a nucleoside molecule that is formed when cytosine is attached to a ribose ring (also known as a ribofuranose). It is a component of RNA, which is essential for protein synthesis and other cellular functions.
Etymology
The term "Cytidine" is derived from the Greek word "kytos" meaning "cell" and the Latin "id" meaning "pertaining to". The "-ine" suffix is common in names of nucleosides and nucleotides.
Structure and Function
Cytidine is composed of a cytosine base and a ribose sugar. It is a pyrimidine nucleoside, which refers to the class of molecules that also includes uridine and thymidine.
In the body, cytidine plays a crucial role in the synthesis of RNA, which is involved in protein synthesis and other cellular functions. It is also involved in the regulation of immune responses and inflammation.
Related Terms
- Cytosine: One of the four main bases found in DNA and RNA, along with adenine, guanine, and uracil. Cytosine is a pyrimidine derivative, with a heterocyclic aromatic ring and two substituents attached (an amine group at position 4 and a keto group at position 2).
- Ribose: A carbohydrate with the formula C5H10O5; specifically, it is a monosaccharide (simple sugar) with linear form H−(C=O)−(CHOH)4−H, which has all the hydroxyl groups on the same side in the Fischer projection.
- Nucleoside: Nucleosides are glycosylamines that can be thought of as nucleotides without a phosphate group. A nucleoside consists simply of a nucleobase (also termed a nitrogenous base) and a five-carbon sugar (ribose or 2'-deoxyribose) whereas a nucleotide is composed of a nucleobase, a five-carbon sugar, and one or more phosphate groups.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Cytidine
- Wikipedia's article - Cytidine
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