Vitamin K

High school (ages 12+)
Human Body

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/vitamin-k

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the chemical structure?2-methyl-1,4-naphthoquinone derivatives
2. What is the mechanism of action?Cofactor for gamma-glutamyl carboxylase, enabling post-translational modification of Gla proteins
3. What is Vitamin K and why is it important?Vitamin K is a tiny helper that stops bleeding by helping blood clot and keeps bones strong by helping calcium stick to bone.
4. Where can I get Vitamin K from my food?You can find Vitamin K1 in green leafy veggies like spinach, kale, and broccoli, and Vitamin K2 in fermented foods like natto and some animal products.

Vitamer: Chemically distinct compounds that perform the same vitamin activity in the body.
Post-translational Modification: Chemical changes to a protein after it has been synthesized.
Gamma-carboxyglutamate (Gla): A modified amino acid residue crucial for calcium binding in Vitamin K-dependent proteins.