3. The chemical constitution of the body
3. The chemical constitution of the body
- Gillian Pocock, Gillian PocockSenior Lecturer in Clinical Science, Canterbury Christ Church University, Canterbury, UK
- Christopher D. RichardsChristopher D. RichardsEmeritus Professor of Experimental Physiology, Division of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Faculty of Life Sciences, University College London, London, UK
- and David A. RichardsDavid A. RichardsAssociate Professor, Department of Basic Pharmaceutical Sciences, Husson University School of Pharmacy, Bangor, Maine, USA
Abstract
This chapter describes the human body as consisting largely of four elements: oxygen, carbon, hydrogen, and nitrogen. It shows that about 70 percent of the lean body tissues is water, while the remaining 30 percent made up of organic material (i.e. molecules and minerals). The principal organic constituents of mammalian cells are the carbohydrates, fats, proteins, and nucleic acids, which are built from smaller molecules belonging to four classes of chemical compounds: sugars, fatty acids, amino acids, and nucleotides respectively. The chapter outlines the principal minerals found in tissues: calcium, phosphorus, potassium, and sodium. It gives an approximate indication of the chemical composition of the body for a young adult male, noting that there is individual variation and that the proportions of the various constituents vary between tissues and change during development.
