Question

The acid soluble pool represents roughly cytoplasmic composition. Which is most likely to be in it?
a) Lecithin
b) Adenosine
c) Calcium ions
d) Glucose

Answer 1

Hint: Cellular pool consists of different biomolecules; their chemical evidence is checked by doing a small experiment using trichloroacetic acid.

Complete Answer:
Cell is the fundamental unit of life. One of the most basic functions of a cell is to carry out metabolic activities. This the cell carries out using different molecules. The collection of various molecules in the cell is called a cellular pool. These molecules are biomolecules. These molecules can be organic (fats, proteins, nucleic acids, etc.) and inorganic molecules (ions, minerals, salts, etc.). This can be found by doing an experiment.

It is done as follows:
- To get the chemical evidence of the cellular pool a small experiment is performed. The first step of the experiment involves the grinding of the experimental tissue in trichloroacetic acid and the slurry obtained is filtered. Two fractions are obtained; one of them (filtrate) is called acid soluble pool. The upper fraction is called an acid insoluble pool. In an acid soluble pool, the substances have a molecular weight of range of 18-800 Daltons. Acid-insoluble pool has molecules that are heavier substances (more molecular weight). Hence the substances in acid soluble pools are called micromolecules and in acid-insoluble pools are called macromolecules.

- Most of the organic substances are soluble in the acid and filter out, they form the filtrate. It is called an acid-soluble pool. Inorganic elements may be absent in the acid-soluble pool. Lecithin, adenosine, and glucose are organic molecules (mostly monomers) that are likely to be found in acid-soluble pools. Hence it is less likely for calcium to be present in an acid-soluble pool.

Thus the correct answer is option C- Calcium ions.

Note: Lipids when grinded in this experiment change to vesicles, these do not dissolve in acid. Hence they are not in an acid soluble pool. Since their molecular weight fits in the criteria of substances of acid-soluble pool, hence we put lipids as a part of acid soluble pool.