4: Carbon
- Page ID
- 131624
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- 4.1: Introduction
- Carbon is a remarkable element! Let's learn more about its unique properties that ultimately make building large biological macromolecules possible.
- 4.2: Carbon
- Cells are made of many complex molecules called macromolecules, such as proteins, nucleic acids (RNA and DNA), carbohydrates, and lipids. The macromolecules are a subset of organic molecules (any carbon-containing liquid, solid, or gas) that are especially important for life. The fundamental component for all of these macromolecules is carbon.
- 4.3: Synthesis of Biological Macromolecules
- Biological macromolecules are large molecules, necessary for life, that are built from smaller organic molecules. There are four major classes of biological macromolecules (carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids); each is an important cell component and performs a wide array of functions. Combined, these molecules make up the majority of a cell’s dry mass (recall that water makes up the majority of its complete mass).