In: Anatomy and Physiology
Write and describe about the important of Protein and Amino Acids Test in healthcare or industry.
Note: The report must not exceed 3 pages minimum (NOT include references), type of test, purposes and the important of the test with reliable references
subject biochemestry
Plasma amino acids is a screening test done on infants that looks at the amounts of amino acids in the blood. Amino acids are the building blocks for proteins in the body. See also: Amino acids - urine. Inborn errors of metabolism
Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins
Amino acids are a vital part of diets for both humans and animals. Several of the amino acids (histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine) can not be produced by the human body and are therefore considered “essential”. A lack of any of the essential amino acids in the diet can lead to poor health and death. In addition, what constitutes essential amino acids can vary. For example, cats cannot synthesize taurine and lack of taurine causes eye-problems, hair loss, and tooth decay. For that reason, amino acid testing is important to determine the quality of protein in food, pet food, and animal feeds.
Eurofins is the leader in amino acid analysis offering a variety of methods that can quickly and accurately quantify the amino acids present in almost any sample. Eurofins has established methods in testing for free amino acids as well as the bound molecules in peptide form.
The total protein test is a simple, routine urine or blood test. It looks for normal or abnormal protein levels in the body.
Having too many or too few proteins can lead to unexpected weight loss, fatigue, or inflammatory disease. The total protein test can help diagnose liver and kidney diseases, along with other conditions.
In this article, we discuss the total protein test, how to interpret the results, and what normal or abnormal protein levels might mean.
What is the total protein test?
Share on Pinterest
The total protein test can help a doctor diagnose various conditions.
Proteins serve as building blocks for many organs, hormones, and enzymes. Proteins are essential for overall health, which is why routine health checkups often include a total protein test.
A total protein test measures the total number of proteins present in body fluid. The test examines protein in either urine or the liquid portion of the blood, which medial professionals call the serum.
Blood test
A serum total protein test measures the amount of albumin and globulin present in the serum portion of the blood:
Albumin protein accounts for half of the total protein found in blood plasma. It regulates oncotic pressure in the plasma to prevent water from leaking out of the blood vessels.
Globulin proteins vary in size, weight, and function. They are grouped by how they migrate on electrophoresis and include α1, α2, β and γ fractions. They include carrier proteins, enzymes, complement, and immunoglobulins (also called antibodies).
Urine test
A urine total protein test detects the amounts of protein present in the urine.
The kidneys filter albumin and other proteins from the blood so that the urine may contain small amounts of protein.
However, problems with the urinary tract, such as chronic kidney disease, can cause large amounts of protein to leak into the urine.
Normal protein levels in urine and blood
Laboratories may use slightly different total protein ranges, depending on the testing method and equipment they use.
The normal range for protein levels in blood serum is 6 to 8 grams per deciliter (g/dl). Of this, albumin makes up 3.5 to 5.0 g/dl, and the rest is total globulins. These ranges may vary between different laboratories.
Usually, a person’s body eliminates less than 150 milligrams (mg) of total protein and less than 20 mg of albumin through the urine every 24 hours.
High or low serum or urine protein levels do not always signal a chronic medical condition. Everyday factors that can affect a person’s protein levels include:
intense exercise
diet
stress
age
degree of hydration during the test
pregnancy
taking hormonal birth control pills
complications from surgery