Inorganic Ions

Hiya!

It's important to know the different inorganic ions (organic molecules being carbon-made ones) and their functions and uses in biology. There are two types of inorganic ions to know; cations and anions;

(Lubo Minar) 

Cations
Calcium;

• Used in blood clotting to allow enzyme cascade and the 12 clotting factors
• Aids muscle contraction
• Helps maintain pH and water levels in the body
• Helps maintain rigidity in teeth, bones and cartilage
• Used as an enzyme cofactor for enzymes such as ATPase and lipase
• Important factor in the exoskeleton

Potassium;

• Maintains pH and water levels in the body
• Allows healthy leaves and flowers in plants
• Nervous and muscular response
• Vacuole maintenance in plant cells
• Involved in active transport
• Involved in synthesis of glycogen and proteins and the lysis (break down) of glucose

Sodium;

• Maintains pH and water levels in the body
• Involved in water re-absorption in the kidneys and carbohydrate absorption in the small intestine
• Muscle and nervous contractions
• Vacuole maintenance in plant cells

Hydrogen;

• Involved in photosynthesis and respiration reactions 
• Helps maintain pH of the blood and water levels in the body
• Involved in transport of O2 and CO2 

Ammonium;

• Part of the nitrogen cycle
• Involved in the production of nucleic acids
• Synthesis of protein based hormones for example insulin
• Synthesis or proteins, vitamins, amino acids and chlorophyll

(Roman Synkevych) 

Anions

Hydrogen carbonate;

• pH and water levels in the body
• Involved in transport of O2 and CO2 

Ammonia;

• Nitrogen cycle
• Involved in the synthesis of protein based hormones e.g insulin
• Synthesis of vitamins, proteins, chlorophyll
• Production of nucleotides