In: Anatomy and Physiology
Our body is composed of four macromolecules- protein, carbohydrates, lipid and nucleic acid. Each macromolecule is composed of polymers which are formed by linkages of monomer units. Monomer, which is smaller units, is the basic unit of a macromolecule. Many monomers join together in a chain like manner to form a larger unit called polymer. Each polymer usually contains 50 monomers.
Carbohydrates: Polysaccharides
The polymers of carbohydrates are polysaccharides. Polysaccharides are formed when monosaccharides link together with linkages such as alpha 1, 4; beta 1, 4; alpha 1,6 glycosidic bonds etc. . Glucose, fructose, galactoses are monosaccharides. Starch, cellulose are polysaccharides. They are mostly used to store energy or are component of the cell.
Proteins: Proteins and polypeptides
Proteins are made up of polymers called polypeptides. Each polypeptide is made up of peptides that are composed of amino acids. Amino acids are linked together in peptides by a peptide bonds formed by removal of water molecule. There are 20 amino acids known in humans. Hemoglobin is made up of 4 polypeptide chain linked by heme. Proteins can also be considered as polymers of proteins.
Lipids: Triacylglycerol, diglyceride, phospholipid
Lipids are made up of triglycerides, which are the polymers of lipids. Triglyceride is composed or glycerol linked to three fatty acid chain. Fatty acids can be saturated or unsaturated. Glycerol can also be linked to other groups such as phosphates in phospholipids. Phospholipid and diglyceride can also be a modified or shorter polymer. Monoglycerides are monomers of lipids.
Nucleic acids: Polynucleotides
Polynucleotides are polymers of nucleic acids. Nucleic acid can be DNA or RNA> Nucleotides, the monomers are composed of phosphate group linked to pentose sugar (ribose or deoxyribose) and nitrogenous base (adenine, guanine, thymine, cytosine, uracil). Polynucleotides are nucleotides that are linked together by phosphodiester linkages. In DNA, the strands are held together by hydrogen bonds.