Amino Acid Metabolism

The amino acids undergo certain common reactions like transamination followed by deamination for the liberation of ammonia.

The amino group of the amino acids is utilized for the formation of urea which is an excretory end product of protein metabolism.

The carbon skeleton of the amino acids is first converted to keto acids (by transamination) which meet one or more of the following fates.

1. Utilized to generate energy.

2. Used for the synthesis of glucose.

3. Diverted for the formation of fat or ketone bodies.

4. Involved in the production of non-essential amino acids.

A general picture of amino acid metabolism is depicted in figure below:

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