engleski

The metabolism of amino acids

Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins and have both structural and metabolic functions in humans and animals. Considering that amino acids play a crucial role in the existence of all living beings, the goal of this review was to analyze their metabolism. The main role in the metabolism of amino acids in humans and animals is played by the liver. Amino acids are divided into essential and non-essential. Amino acids that reach the blood are transported through cell membranes in various tissues, primarily via Na+ dependent cotransport systems. In most land animals, the ammonium ion is converted to urea. Excess NH4+ is converted into urea. The process by which this takes place is called the urea cycle. Glutamate dehydrogenase is a key enzyme in the process because it generates free NH4+ previously transferred to α-ketoglutarate from many amino acids via transaminases. The amino acid arginine is synthesized as a product of the urea cycle. Fumarate, another product, links the urea cycle to the TCA cycle. The two input nitrogen atoms exit the cycle as urea, which the liver releases into the blood for disposal in the urine via the kidneys.

amino acids ; metabolism ; urea cycle

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