In: Biology
Q6. Chitin is used to produce a certain type of surgical
thread.
a) What physical and chemical properties make it an ideal material
for this purpose?
b) Propose another product that chitin could be used for in
everyday life.
c) Why should products made of Chitin be relatively inexpensive to
mass produce?
Q7. Why do proteins have more diverse functional role in a cell than do carbohydrate?
Q8. Why do the elements 8,16,and 34 belong to the same family on the periodic table.
Q9. Why are glucose and galactose are
isomer?
6. (a) Bioresorbable suture thread is produced by spinning raw solution of monofilament or a multifilament known as chitin. Structurally chitin is a N-acetyl glucosamine homopolymer with β-(1,4), yeast, fungi, insects and marine invertebrates. But commercially chitin is produced by shellfish through chemical treatment.
Basically, stability, stiffness and flexibility is provided by chitin to organism. Chitin is perceived by the body to be a foreign material and so our body responds to eliminate it. In our body there is an enzyme named chitanase which helps to break up chitin. Hydrolysis helps in sepration of the individual chitin molecules from each other. Chitin and its derivatives can be used in the care of burn-patients, that one of the most important things. Chitin has exceptional tissue stability and its potential to enhance wound healing was investigated. The topic of chitin is still exciting medical studies.
(b) Often chitin used as a food thickener and stabiliser, and moreover it can also produce edible films.