Lecture 5 - Nitrogen Metabolism Part 1 Flashcards
where are amino acids obtained from
dietary proteins, body protein degradation or new synthesised protein
what are amino acids used for
synthesise proteins and other nitrogen containing compounds or generate energy
what contribute to the amino acid pool
dietary proteins, body proteins and amino acid synthesis all contribute to the amino acid pool
what can amino acids be split into and forms
the ammonia group is removed, we are left with the carbon backbone which forms a keto acid
what are non essential amino acids
amino acids that are synthesised in the body
what are essential amino acids
they are needed in the diet as we do not have the enzymes to make them
what is special about the amino acid arginine and why
it is considered an essential but also a non essential amino acid
because under certain physiological states there is a high demand for this amino acid
what is an example of a time that we need more arginine than we can produce
during an active growing period we need this amino acid in the diet because our ability to produce it is not enough to keep up with the demands
what are some important regulators of metabolism that amino acids are precursors for
- catecholamines
- thyroid hormones
what are important regulatory molecules that amino acids are precursors for
- serotonin (neurotransmitter)
- melatonin (sleep)
- nitric oxide (very important vasodilator)
creatinine is derived from what and where
derived by spontaneous cyclisation of creatine and creatine phosphate in skeletal muscle
where is creatine phosphate made
made in the muscle
what is creatine phosphate a fast supplier of
fast supplier of phosphate to make ATP from ADP
what is creatinine levels in the blood a good marker of
kidney function : high levels of creatinine in the blood indicates the clearance by the kidneys is poor
what are urine creatinine levels proportional to
proportional to muscle mass
- creatinine is formed in muscle, so the more muscle you have the more there will be in your urine
