FMS BL13 - A.A Met + Urea cycle

Amino Acid Metabolism

The process involving the breakdown, transamination, and deamination of amino acids, leading to the production of ammonia and urea.

Transamination

A metabolic process where an amino group is transferred from one amino acid to an α-keto acid, forming a new amino acid and α-keto acid.

Urea Cycle

A series of biochemical reactions occurring in the liver that converts ammonia into urea for excretion in urine.

Glucogenic Amino Acids

Amino acids that can be converted into glucose through gluconeogenesis.

Ketogenic Amino Acids

Amino acids that can be converted into ketone bodies and/or fatty acids.

Oxidative Deamination

The removal of an amino group from an amino acid, resulting in the formation of ammonia and an α-keto acid.

Carbamoyl Phosphate

A compound formed in the first step of the urea cycle, which combines with ornithine to form citrulline.

N-Acetylglutamate

An essential activator for carbamoyl phosphate synthetase I in the urea cycle.

Hyperammonemia

A condition characterized by elevated levels of ammonia in the blood, often resulting from liver dysfunction or urea cycle disorders.

Phenylketonuria (PKU)

An inherited metabolic disorder characterized by the inability to metabolize phenylalanine due to a deficiency in phenylalanine hydroxylase.

Aminotransferases

Enzymes that catalyze the transfer of amino groups from amino acids to α-keto acids.

Essential Amino Acids

Amino acids that cannot be synthesized by the body and must be obtained through diet.

Non-essential Amino Acids

Amino acids that can be synthesized by the body from other compounds.

Glutamine

An amino acid that serves as a non-toxic transport form of ammonia in the body.

Arginase

An enzyme that catalyzes the final step of the urea cycle, cleaving arginine into ornithine and urea.

Biosynthesis of Amino Acids

The process by which amino acids are formed from simpler precursors in the body.

Azotemia

An elevation of blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and serum creatinine, often indicating impaired kidney function.