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Biological Chemistry
Periodic Graphics
Periodic Graphics: Mucus, tears, and saliva
Chemical educator and Compound Interest blogger Andy Brunning looks at the biochemistry of our snot, spit, and tears.
by Andy Brunning, special to C&EN
February 26, 2023
| A version of this story appeared in
Volume 101, Issue 7
To download a pdf of this article, visit cenm.ag/snotspittears.
References used to create this graphic:
Bardow, Allan, Dennis Moe, Bente Nyvad, and Birgitte Nauntofte. “The Buffer Capacity and Buffer Systems of Human Whole Saliva Measured without Loss of CO2.” Arch. Oral Biol. (Jan. 2000). DOI: 10.1016/S0003-9969(99)00119-3.
Fenna, R., J. Zeng, and C. Davey. “Structure of the Green Heme in Myeloperoxidase.” Arch. Biochem. Biophys. (Jan. 1995). DOI: 10.1006/abbi.1995.1086.
Kirby, Anthony J. “The Lysozyme Mechanism Sorted—after 50 Years.” Nat. Struct. Mol. Biol. (Sept. 2001). DOI: 10.1038/nsb0901-737.
A collaboration between C&EN and Andy Brunning, author of the popular graphics blog Compound Interest
To see more of Brunning’s work, go to compoundchem.com. To see all of C&EN’s Periodic Graphics, visit cenm.ag/periodicgraphics.
CORRECTION:
This graphic was updated on March 7, 2023, to correct the charge of the phosphate ions. It is 3–, not 2–.
Chemical & Engineering News
ISSN 0009-2347
Copyright © 2025 American Chemical Society
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