Blood is essentially an aqueous solution, but it must transport a variety of nonpolar substances (hormones, for example). Colloidal proteins, termed albumins, facilitate this transport. Must these albumins polar or nonpolar? Why?
Please let me know which one and why. I'd really appreciate it, thanks 🙂
2 Answers
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serum albumins are extremely large molecules. and have both polar and nonpolar sites. the answer to your question is BOTH, albumins must be able to be soluble with both nonpolar substances you mentioned but ALSO the water that makes up the majority of blood. water is polar.
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albumin is a globular protein that is quite soluble in the aqueous system.It contains, however a hydrophobic pocket ( comprised of leucines , valines , and a few aromatics and isoleucines. This hydrophobic pocket allows the non-polar ends of the transported materials to bind in the hydrophobic pocket while the polar ends are directed to the outside toward the water. This allows transport of fatty acids and other amphipaths by albumin.This is somewhat similar to the polar outside and non-polar inside of a micellar structure or a chylomicron
Source(s): Ph.D. Biochem BS Chem