logo
AAT Bioquest

What is a zwitter ionic form?

Posted June 10, 2021


Answer

Zwitter ionic is derived from zwitterions. It refers to the property of possessing a positive and negative charge simultaneously. Molecules that are zwitter ionic carry a net charge of zero at a physiological pH that is unique to each molecule.

The zero net charge is not because they have no charge. Instead, it’s because the presence of the negative and positive charges in the same molecule balance or cancel each other out, resulting in the molecule becoming electrically neutral or zwitter ionic.

Additional resources

The Effect Of Isoelectric Amino Acids On The pH+ Of A Phosphate Buffer Solution - A Contribittion In Support Of The "Zwitter Ion" Hypothesis

Spexyte™ Intracellular pH Calibration Buffer Kit