Biochemical
Biochemical
Biochemical (pronounced: bio-chem-i-cal) is a term that refers to the chemical substances and processes that occur within living organisms.
Etymology
The term "biochemical" is derived from the Greek words "bios" meaning "life" and "chemia" meaning "chemistry". It was first used in the late 19th century to describe the study of chemical processes in living organisms.
Definition
Biochemical refers to the chemical substances, such as proteins, nucleic acids, carbohydrates, and lipids, and the reactions and interactions they undergo within living organisms. This includes processes such as metabolism, cellular respiration, and DNA replication.
Related Terms
- Biochemistry: The branch of science that explores the chemical processes within and related to living organisms. It is a laboratory based science that combines biology and chemistry.
- Metabolism: The set of life-sustaining chemical reactions in organisms. The three main purposes of metabolism are: the conversion of food to energy to run cellular processes; the conversion of food/fuel to building blocks for proteins, lipids, nucleic acids, and some carbohydrates; and the elimination of nitrogenous wastes.
- Enzyme: Biochemical molecules that act as catalysts and help complex reactions occur everywhere in life.
- Protein: Large biomolecules and macromolecules that comprise one or more long chains of amino acid residues. Proteins perform a vast array of functions within organisms, including catalysing metabolic reactions, DNA replication, responding to stimuli, providing structure to cells and organisms, and transporting molecules from one location to another.
- Nucleic Acid: Biopolymers, or large biomolecules, essential to all known forms of life. They include DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) and RNA (ribonucleic acid).
- Lipid: Any of various substances that are soluble in nonpolar organic solvents (such as chloroform and ether), that are usually insoluble in water, that with proteins and carbohydrates constitute the principal structural components of living cells, and that include fats, waxes, phosphatides, cerebrosides, and related and derived compounds.
- Carbohydrate: Any of various neutral compounds of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen (as sugars, starches, and celluloses) most of which are formed by green plants and which constitute a major class of animal foods.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Biochemical
- Wikipedia's article - Biochemical
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