REVIEW PAPER
Estimation of protein and amino acid metabolism
using [15N] and [14C] labeled tracer amino acids
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1
Institute for Ecological Compartible Animal Husbandry,
Justus-von-Liebig-Weg 8, 18051 Rostock, Germany
2
Research Institute for the Biology of Farm Animals,
Department of Nutritional Physiology "Oskar Kellner",
18059 Rostock, Germany
3
Department of Human and Animal Physiology, Agricultural University,
Haarweg 10, N-6709 PJ Wageningen,
The Netherlands
Publication date: 1996-07-09
J. Anim. Feed Sci. 1996;5(3):187-199
KEYWORDS
ABSTRACT
The possibilities of estimating parameters for whole body protein metabolism (synthesis and
breakdown) by the help of the end product method and a compartment model using 15N- and/or 14C
labeled amino acids (AA) as tracers are demonstrated. First, the fundamentals of the method, the
choice of tracer AA and the determinable parameters are described. The influence of endogenous and
exogenous factors on protein synthesis and breakdown is demonstrated using selected results of
tracer experiments on rats. Differences relating to animal species and the effect of age, body weight,
protein intake, β-agonist administration and training, are shown in detail.
The main conclusions are:
- the tracer method in combination with modeling provides parameters of protein metabolism on
intact animals;
- the estimated data are relative values and they reflect the main processes of protein and/or AA
metabolism with sufficient accuracy;
- the method makes it possible to assess the influence of different endogenous and exogenous
factors on the protein synthesis rate.
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