Question

For each tissue discussed in the chapter (liver, intestine, kidney, muscle and brain), list and discuss the amino acids that are physiologically relevant for that tissue.

Answer 1

Brain - For Central nervous system, there are mainly three amino acids for the proper synthesis of neurotransmitters. amino acids are tyrosine, histidine, and arginine. Tyrosine has a benefit of reducing the harmful effects of stress hormones whereas histamine is an important chemical compound of the brain which is synthesized from histidine.

Muscle - Branched chain amino acids are needed for proper functioning of cells - valine, leucine, and isoleucine. these three branched amino acids are also helpful in wound healing and energy production. these also increases the muscle growth and reduces exercise fatigue.

Kidney - Glutamine is taken up by the kidney cells (nephron) for the metabolization to ammonia. glutamine donates ammonia in kidney and is also a precursor of arginine.

Intestine - There are three amino acids that acts as major oxidative fuel for intestine - glutamate, glutamine, and aspartate.

Liver - There are various amino acids that are physiologically relevant for liver tissue. For example - alanine, glutamate, aspartate, glycine, histidine, serine, threonine, etc. glutamate has an inhibitory effect on the inflammatory responses and it also heps in the maintaining the hepatic urea cycle for detoxification. Accumulation of copper in liver leads to toxicity and it can be reduced by histidine as it promotes the excretion of copper in urine.