Question

The properties of water are important in many aspects of biology, but we will focus on the role of water properties in cell structure and function. Summarize the most important properties of water and then explain why those properties are so important in cell structure and function.

Answer 1

Water plays an important role in supporting life and also plays an important role in physiological functions. Water is polar molecule with two positively charged hydrogen atoms and one negatively charged oxygen. Due to the presence of differential charges there occurs polarity in the water molecule and this polarity hels it to interact with other molecules.

Water being a universal solvents helps in the transport of dissolved oxygen in the tissues and other substances in the body.

Water helps in maintaing shape of the cell as water inside many cells (including those that make up the human body) creates pressure that opposes external forces, and maintains the shape of the cell.

Water helps in formation of membranes around the cell. Without water, cell membranes would lack structure, and without proper membrane structure, cells would be unable to keep important molecules inside the cell and harmful molecules outside the cell

Water also helps in folding of amino acid chains leading to the formation of proteins which are the building blocks of an organism. It also surrounds the molecule of DNA and maintain the double helix model of DNA.