Page 1 of 8
BI5.1-9 | Introduction to Chemistry & Metabolism of Proteins and Immunology
Learning Objectives
- Describe the structure and classification of amino acids based on nutritional and metabolic significance (BI5.1)
- Classify proteins by structure and function, and explain the four levels of structural organisation (BI5.2)
- Describe the digestion and absorption of dietary proteins (BI5.3)
- Describe plasma proteins, their functions, and interpret normal vs abnormal electrophoretic patterns (BI5.4)
- Describe the structure and functions of immunoglobulins and the basics of humoral and cellular immunity (BI5.5)
- Describe ammonia formation, transport, detoxification via the urea cycle, and the clinical significance of ammonia toxicity (BI5.6)
- Describe specialised products from key amino acids and inborn errors of metabolism, including newborn screening (BI5.7)
- Describe the structure and metabolism of haem, with emphasis on jaundice and porphyrias (BI5.8)
- Describe the types, derivatives, and variants of haemoglobin and their clinical relevance (BI5.9)
INSTRUCTIONS
The collagen in your bones, the haemoglobin in your blood, and the antibodies fighting infection RIGHT NOW are all proteins. They make up 50% of the dry weight of your body. This module takes you from the simplest amino acid to the most complex protein machines, and then shows you what happens when the machinery breaks down.
Parallel connections: In Anatomy, you're learning about bones and cartilage — collagen is the protein that makes both of them strong. Type I collagen forms 90% of bone's organic matrix, and Type II collagen is the structural backbone of cartilage. In Physiology, the cell membrane proteins you're studying are the channels and receptors that control everything — every ion channel is a protein, every receptor is a protein, every transporter is a protein.
References
- Harper's Illustrated Biochemistry, 32nd ed., Chapters 3-4 (Amino Acids & Proteins), Chapters 28-29 (Amino Acid Metabolism) (textbook)
- Lehninger Principles of Biochemistry, 8th ed., Chapter 3: Amino Acids, Peptides, and Proteins (textbook)
- Satyanarayana's Biochemistry, 6th ed., Chapters 4-6 (Proteins, Amino Acid Metabolism) (textbook)
- Vasudevan's Textbook of Biochemistry, 9th ed., Section 3: Proteins and Amino Acids (textbook)
Version 2.0 | NMC CBUC 2024, Adapted from Harper's Illustrated Biochemistry 32e