Harper's Biochemistry is a book that describes the basics of biochemistry and is user-friendly and interesting. It is helpful for medical students and students of other health-care sciences. Its major goal is to reflect the most significant advances in biochemistry that are important to medicine. Its outstanding quality is its short and to the point text in a very understandable language.
The text is divided into two introductory chapters (“Biochemistry & Medicine” and “Water & pH”) followed by six main sections. Section I deals with the structures and functions of proteins and enzymes, the workhorses of the body. Because almost all of the reactions in cells are catalyzed by enzymes, it is vital to understand the properties of enzymes before considering other topics. Section II explains how various cellular reactions either utilize or release energy, and it traces the pathways by which carbohydrates and lipids are synthesized and degraded. It also describes the many functions of these two classes of molecules. Section III deals with the amino acids and their many fates and also describes certain key features of protein catabolism.
Section IV describes the structures and functions of the nucleotides and nucleic acids, and covers many major
topics such as DNA replication and repair, RNA synthesis and modification, and protein synthesis. It also discusses new findings on how genes are regulated and presents the principles of recombinant DNA technology. Section V deals with aspects of extracellular and intracellular communication. Topics covered include membrane structure and function, the molecular bases of the actions of hormones, and the key field of signal transduction. Section VI consists of discussions of eleven special topics: nutrition, digestion, and absorption; vitamins and minerals; intracellular traffic and sorting of proteins; glycoproteins; the extracellular matrix; muscle and the cytoskeleton; plasma proteins and immunoglobulins; hemostasis and thrombosis; red and white blood cells; the metabolism of xenobiotics; and the Human Genome Project.
Section IV describes the structures and functions of the nucleotides and nucleic acids, and covers many major
topics such as DNA replication and repair, RNA synthesis and modification, and protein synthesis. It also discusses new findings on how genes are regulated and presents the principles of recombinant DNA technology. Section V deals with aspects of extracellular and intracellular communication. Topics covered include membrane structure and function, the molecular bases of the actions of hormones, and the key field of signal transduction. Section VI consists of discussions of eleven special topics: nutrition, digestion, and absorption; vitamins and minerals; intracellular traffic and sorting of proteins; glycoproteins; the extracellular matrix; muscle and the cytoskeleton; plasma proteins and immunoglobulins; hemostasis and thrombosis; red and white blood cells; the metabolism of xenobiotics; and the Human Genome Project.
