Self-Esteem Issues

Dear AnatomyWizard,

I am a water molecule circulating in my owner’s body. I’m just a little guy, and people say that I look like Mickey Mouse. This body is filled with millions more just like me. I’m surrounded by some gigantic protein molecules, some fancy lipids, and some simply amazing nucleic acids, and they all look a lot more important than I am. However, my owner’s anatomy teacher insists that I am vital. In fact, she said that the body that I live in can’t live very long at all without me.

I guess I have a self-esteem issue, because I just don’t see what’s important about a tiny fellow like me. Can you suggest any ways that I can feel better about myself?

Signed, Down on Myself

Dear Down on Myself,

Don’t RELINQUISH to your low self esteem, the anatomy teacher is right! You are important for many reasons, the first reason is because of your awesome Mickey Mouse structure. Your two ears, which are two hydrogens, are slightly positive and the other half of you, the oxygen part, is slightly negative which makes you polar and a universal solvent. You can attract basically anyone and help them get to where they need to be! Feel a bit better? No? Well, you know the two popular processes called dehydration synthesis and hydrolysis, which help form bonds and breaks things apart? You, as a water molecule act as a reactant and play an important role in those procedures. Actually, you are the main star in those processes and without you those gigantic proteins that you mentioned, can’t form bonds and be as big as they are. The other qualities that make you important is that you have a high heat capacity, high heat of vaporization, and you make a great cushion to the other body organs. You are their protector. So if you ever feel lonely and need someone to remind you of how important you are, just look around and see what your other water molecule buddies are doing. And it shouldn’t be that hard because you actually make up 60 to 80 percent of the volume of most living cells, so that means you have tons of water molecule buddies! So without you, the body would become dehydrated, which can lead to organ failure and the DECLIVITY of your health can possible lead to the “D” word. Death. So yes, you are very much needed and when I said that you were important, I lied. You are not just important, you are the most important inorganic compound in the human body! So cheer up, and tell your owner the next drink is on me.

Signed, 2cool4school

 

Dear Down on Myself,

It sounds like you have created a false DICTUM to yourself. Your owner’s anatomy teacher was right when saying that you are vital. Did you know that you make up 60-80 percent of the volume of most living cells? That is a lot! You also have many properties that make you vital, and I will remind you of a few of them. You have a high heat capacity, which helps your owner’s body to avoid sudden changes in temperature caused by external factors. You also require high amounts of heat to vaporize, which helps the body in motion to cool down. Due to the fact that you are a universal solvent, you can mix easily with other molecules as well! Also, you are very important in chemical reactions, such as breaking down your owner’s food. Let’s not forget about cushioning: this property enables you to protect your owner’s body organs from physical trauma. See how important you are? I wish I could get your autograph!

Signed, Your Fan

 

Dear down on Myself,

The reason people say that you look like Mickey Mouse is because you are a water molecule and have two positive “ears” and a negative “head.” Being a water molecule, you are made up of two elements called hydrogen and oxygen. As a result, you have a slight positive charge on one end and a slight negative charge on the other. When these opposite charges attract, it creates surface tension and the whole molecule is called a hydrogen bond. Those gigantic protein molecules that you are surrounded by are the basic structural material for living cells in the body. Without them, there would be no activity or structure in your owner’s body. The lipids that you call fancy are molecules that make up the building blocks of the function of living cells. Nucleic acids are the largest molecules in the body and consist of DNA and RNA. They are all important, but so are you. Each one of you make up your owner’s body, so without either of you, your owner won’t be able to do the things he/she does. Your owner’s anatomy teacher is right that you are vital and that the body you live in can’t live long without you. You are important because you have a high heat capacity that helps absorb and release heat before changing temperature. You are also a universal solvent that allows reactions in the cells to take place. This also allows for good transport for the nutrients in the body to travel throughout the body. So take heart and feel good about yourself because you are a very important molecule!

Sincerely, Dr. Know It All

 

Dear Water Molecule,

You are the single most important compound in the human body. Do not feel intimidated by those big fancy organic compounds. They need you to perform their functions. You are used to break apart glucose molecules in a process called hydrolysis that creates pyruvate. Without pyruvate there would be nothing to enter the Krebs cycle. You are also capable of joining monosaccharides together to make glycogen to store energy by way of dehydration synthesis. You are the main ingredient in all of the body’s fluids including blood. You are needed to maintain homeostasis in the body. Your natural ability to resist temperature changes keeps the body just right. When the body gets too hot you get secreted through the skin and evaporate taking heat with you. So water molecule, get out of your DECLIVITY and start feeling proud. You’re the best.

Signed, Get UP!