Digestión, Absorción y Metabolismo de Proteínas y Aminoácidos

These flashcards cover essential vocabulary and concepts related to the digestion, absorption, and metabolism of proteins and amino acids.

Function of Proteins

Proteins provide structural building blocks (amino acids) necessary for the synthesis of new body constitutive proteins.

Endogenous Proteins

Proteins that are degraded after completing their life cycle or when altered by toxic compounds.

Half-life of Proteins

Refers to the variability in protein lifespan, with some proteins having short half-lives and others having long half-lives.

Ubiquitization

The process of tagging proteins for degradation by adding ubiquitin to lysine groups.

Proteasomes

Complexes that degrade proteins, including those marked for destruction.

Urea Cycle

A process occurring in the liver to convert ammonia produced from amino acid degradation into urea for excretion.

Transamination

The reversible transfer of an amino group to a keto acid, facilitated by aminotransferase.

Lysine and Threonine Exception

These amino acids do not participate in transamination reactions.

Glutamate Dehydrogenase

An enzyme involved in oxidative deamination, producing alpha-ketoglutarate and ammonia.

Nitrogen Excretion

The process of eliminating nitrogen from metabolism, primarily through urea and urine.

Amino Acid Pool

The common pool of free amino acids in the blood available for protein synthesis and other metabolic pathways.

Essential Amino Acids

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

Glutamine Synthetase Function

Catalyzes the formation of glutamine from glutamate and ammonia.

Catecholamines

Biologically active amines formed from tyrosine, including dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine.

Melatonin

A hormone derived from tryptophan, involved in regulating sleep patterns.

Creatine Phosphate

A high-energy compound in muscles formed from creatine and ATP.

Glucose-Alanine Cycle

A process where alanine is released by muscles and transported to the liver to be converted to glucose.

Hepatic Regulation

Liver's role in maintaining amino acid concentrations and regulating nitrogen metabolism.

Biosynthesis and Degradation

The continuous cycle where amino acids are synthesized and degraded within the body.

Ammonia Toxicity

The harmful effects of high ammonia levels, especially on the brain.