I were never good at Biology, but always wanted to know what a cell is actually made off. I know there are some little things in the cell, but what I meant, what chemical elements is one made off?
I suppose mostly of H2O, but maybe something else. That’s why I’m here, as I couldn’t find anything online. Maybe I’m just too stupid to find things on the web, but anyways, I would love to know it. Thank you guys!
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Human cells aren’t different from cells from other animals, as far what they’re made of. They are mostly salt water, fats, and protein, but there are tens of thousands of chemicals in the cell in lesser quantities: nucleic acids, sugars, cholesterols, … They’re like tiny squishy chemical factories.
I’m surprised no one has mentioned SPONCH yet. It’s a cute little acronym for the most important elements in life.
Sulfur, Phosphorus, Oxygen, Nitrogen, Hydrogen (the order is just for pronouncing, this isn’t how frequent or important they are.
Sulfur: I’m a little fuzzy on this one but i think the main use is in certain protein components. It helps form strong bonds in proteins
Phosphorus: used to make ATP, your body’s main energy molecule in cells. Also used in making bones
Oxygen: Appears in lots of places. Water, of course, but also as part of sugars, fatty acids, amino acids, and other molecules.
Nitrogen: the big uses here are in amino acids (building blocks of proteins) and in nucleotides (building blocks of DNA)
Carbon: used everywhere. Carbon is basically the default element for forming any molecule. If the backbone of the molecule isn’t using one of the other elements, then it’s carbon.
Hydrogen: similar to carbon, hydrogen appears everywhere. Instead of being the backbone of molecules though, hydrogen is what attaches *to* the backbones
Cells are made of organic molecules (carbon based) called macromolecules. There are four macromolecules; proteins, lipids (fats), carbohydrates (sugars) and nucleic acids (DNA/RNA). All four of these different molecules fit together like puzzle pieces through chemical bonds (the glue). These macromolecules are made of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen. Those are the main ingredients with phosphate and sulfur making up smaller percentages of some of those macromolecules. When we put macromolecules together we begin to form cellular components like the cell membrane (a phospholipid; carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and phosphate), nucleus (nucleic acids, lipids and proteins). There is a whole ‘endomembrane system’ that interconnects the nucleus, ER, Golgi, vesicles and cell membrane together. All made up of those four macromolecules. Then the cytosol or ‘gel’ like matrix containing macromolecules and water mixed together.
Simply put; cell components are a jigsaw puzzle of macromolecules blended together through chemical bonds (the glue) that all interact and trade parts within each other depending on their function.
CHOPNS are the main components of all organic molecules. C-Carbon H-Hydrogen O-Oxygen P-Phosphorous N-Nitrogen and S-Sulfur. There are a lot of other elements in your body, but those are going to be the main ones. However, calcium is going to be a main component of bones. You also have the Sodium Potassium pump, which is how nervous signals are transferred. There are many different types of cells in the body, and each cell will have different elements that make it up for its specific purpose.
Edit: This was not explained to a 5 year old apologies. I thought this was a question in one of the medical subreddits I frequent.
Better ELI5:
The main elements in the living organisms are: Carbon, Hydrogen, Oxygen, Phosporous, Nitrogen, and Sulfur. These elements are what is going to make up most of the cells in your body. There are other elements for specialized jobs within the body but there is a lot less of those elements.
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