Naked Science Forum

Life Sciences => Cells, Microbes & Viruses => Topic started by: thedoc on 19/11/2016 09:23:01

Title: How does the white of an egg provide protein?
Post by: thedoc on 19/11/2016 09:23:01

Rod Kirkby asked the Naked Scientists:
   In an egg, the embryo presumably dwells within the yolk sac. The protein is in the egg white (hence 'eiweiss' as the German for protein). So I would have assumed that the growing embryo would have needed greater access to the egg white's proteins. Am I wrong, or did God get it wrong AGAIN! Kind Regards Rod Kirkby
What do you think?

Title: Re: How does the white of an egg provide protein?
Post by: evan_au on 19/11/2016 22:29:11

Quote from: Rod Kirkby

The protein is in the egg white

Not entirely. The Yolk contains about half of the protein in the egg, but also a lot of fats (like cholesterol).

It would be more accurate to say that the egg white consists primarily of protein (if you ignore the 90% that is water).

Quote

I would have assumed that the growing embryo would have needed greater access to the egg white's proteins

The growing chick is entirely surrounded by the egg white, and the egg white is entirely absorbed by the time the chick is ready to hatch (as is the yolk).

How much greater access to the egg white do you think it needs?

See:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yolk
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egg_white