Structure, Biochemistry, and Physiology

Striessnig, J. (1999) Pharmacology, structure and function of cardiac L-type Ca2 -E channels. Cellular Physiology and Biochemistry, 9, 242-269. 

Marine Sterols. Several hundred unique sterol structures have been elucidated from a variety of marine invertebrates. A single nucleus can be used to describe most terrestrial sterols, but no single template suffices for marine sterols, Similar to cholesterol, marine sterols play a critical role in both the physiology and biochemistry of biological systems. 

Riboflavin, physiology and biochemistry of formation 84PHA805. Tocopherol, chemistry and natural occurrence of 81KPS263. Tocopherol, structure and functions of 86ACR194. 

Therefore, I shall concentrate on only those bile acids that have been reasonably well studied from a physicochemical point of view and which have some relation to physiology and biochemistry of living things. Because the specific physical characteristics of the bile acids and their alkaline metal salts vary considerably with the number of hydroxyl groups present on the steroid nucleus, I will present a fairly detailed description of the physicochemical properties of cholanic acid (no hydroxyl groups), monohydroxy, dihydroxy, and trihydroxy bile acids. Since the triketo bile acid (dehydrocholic acid) has been used widely as a choleretic, its properties will also be discussed. Unfortunately, many interesting bile acids and bile alcohols isolated from a variety of vertebrates (29-32) have not been studied physicochemical ly. However, knowing their molecular structure, many of the properties of these compounds can be deduced by comparison with the known properties of bile acids discussed in this chapter. 

If physiology is concerned with the function, anatomy with the structure, and biochemistry with the chemistry of the living body, then pharmacology is concerned with the changes in function, structure, and chemical properties of the body brought about by chemical substances. 

The stereochemistry deals with the study of spatial structure of molecules and its effect on the physical and chemical properties of the compound. Until recently stereochemistry was thought to be purely a theoretical area of study but since it not only affects the properties but also controls the rate of reaction, it has assumed great practical importance. Now stereochemistry is applied to study physiological properties, biochemistry, molecular biology, pharmacy and even in medicine. So the scope of the subject has become enormous. Stereoisomerism is classified into two types. 

Departments of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry and of Physiology and Biophysics and the Program in Macromolecular Structure, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697-3900... 

Minor changes in the stereochemistry and substitution pattern of the steran skeleton result in vastly different yet specific physiological and pharmacological effects, which in turn influence developmental, metabolic, and behavioral phenomena. The organic chemistry and biochemistry of steroids is the subject of many excellent books and an enormous amount of research and patent literature. This chapter compares and contrasts the structure and mode of action of various steroids, their role in regulating hormonal secretion, and the timing of this regulatory action. 

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