Category: Cell biology

Water is the most abundant molecule in cells, making up 70% or more of total cell mass. This vital fluid plays a fundamental yet often overlooked role in the body's most critical processes, including how water helps protein synthesis, a cornerstone of growth and repair.

Over 99% of the body's calcium is stored in bones and teeth, but the remaining 1% is crucial for cellular functions throughout the body. This vital mineral acts as a powerful signaling molecule, coordinating countless processes that are essential for life, which is why calcium is good for our cells.

Nearly 99% of potassium is found inside cells, while sodium is primarily outside, creating an electrochemical gradient vital for life. This delicate balance is the cornerstone of understanding how does sodium affect your cells, influencing nerve signals, muscle contractions, and cellular hydration.

Over 50 percent of human proteins are glycoproteins, which feature carbohydrate chains that are essential for their function, including immune responses. The immune system uses these complex carbohydrate structures, known as glycans, as a crucial tool for both recognizing foreign invaders and regulating the body's own cells.

Over 90% of protein oxidation occurs on specific amino acid residues, fundamentally altering protein structure and function. Understanding which amino acids can undergo oxidation is vital for investigating cellular damage, aging, and the mechanisms underlying various diseases. This process affects not only individual proteins but can also play a crucial role in overall cellular signaling and metabolic health.

Every second, our cells undergo a continuous process of damage and repair from daily metabolism and environmental stressors. This constant cellular turnover has led many to question: Do vitamins repair cellular damage, or is their role more supportive? While they don't reverse extensive damage, vitamins and other antioxidants are critical in maintaining the cellular environment necessary for the body's natural repair mechanisms.

Approximately 40 different myosin genes exist in humans, coding for a superfamily of motor proteins essential for muscle contraction and cellular transport. The regulation of these proteins is complex, determining precisely what triggers myosin and its action.

Pyrenoids mediate approximately one-third of global CO2 fixation in aquatic ecosystems, showcasing their immense importance. This specialized organelle, where a protein surrounded by starch is called a pyrenoid, plays a crucial role in enhancing photosynthetic efficiency by concentrating carbon dioxide.

Proteins are constantly in a state of turnover within the body, being broken down and rebuilt for growth and maintenance. These essential nutrients are fundamentally involved in healing processes, providing the necessary building blocks for the body to perform its vital function of repairing cells.

Glycolipids are essential components of cell membranes in all eukaryotes, playing critical roles in cell signaling and recognition. This often leads to the question: Are glycolipids sugars? The simple answer is no, they are a type of glycoconjugate—a molecule composed of both a lipid and a carbohydrate.