Proteins, Amino Acids, and Nitrogen Metabolism

Animals require proteins, which are large nutrients made up of amino acids,

in their diets. The body can make some amino acids, but others (essential amino acids)

need to be provided by the diet. The ingested proteins go through digestion via various

digestive enzymes to produce amino acids and peptides that are absorbed and

transported via specific transporters. The whole body protein pool is determined by the

balance between the processes of protein synthesis and degradation, which are under

the control of hormonal, nutritional, and neuronal factors. Protein and amino acids play

crucial roles in cellular and body weight homeostasis from regulation of appetite and

food intake, metabolic reactions to cellular signaling within and between cells as well

as energy production for survival. This chapter aims to discuss protein and amino acid

metabolisms and provide a summary of current progress in the field.

Keywords: Amino acids, Absorption, Autophagy, Digestion, Protein synthesis, Protein degradation, Proteins, Ubiqitine-proteasome.

Cite as

Recent Patents on Food, Nutrition & Agriculture

Current Nutrition & Food Science

Current Nutraceuticals

Current Functional Foods

Current Probiotics

Letters in Functional Foods

Recent Advances in Food, Nutrition & Agriculture

Micronutrients: The Key to Good Health

Green Extraction Techniques in Food Analysis

Functional Foods for Health Maintenance: Understanding their Role in Cancer Prevention

Vitamin D and Your Body Volume Title: Why Does Vitamin D Matter?

Advances in the Determination of Xenobiotics in Foods

Algal Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals: Benefits, Opportunities, and Challenges

Advances in Meat Processing Technologies: Modern Approaches to Meet Consumer Demand

Application Of Alternative Food-Preservation Technologies To Enhance Food Safety And Stability

Capillary Electrophoresis in Food Analysis

Current Developments in Food and Nutrition Research

Nutritional Biochemistry: From the Classroom to the Research Bench