#amino acids

• Amino- — A scientific combining form (prefixoid) used in international chemical nomenclature to indicate the presence of the monovalent functional group (-NH2), derived from ammonia, within the structure of an organic compound. As an invariable adjective, it is used in biochemistry to designate fundamental compounds, such as amino acids, which form the basis of protein synthesis in all living organisms.
• Amino acid — An organic compound with a mixed function, containing in its molecule one or more amino groups (-NH2) and carboxyl groups (-COOH). These structural compounds are the fundamental building blocks of proteins, classified into essential (which cannot be synthesized by the organism and must be provided by diet) and non-essential, playing a crucial role in cellular metabolism, enzyme synthesis, and nerve impulse transmission.
• Aminoacidemia — The total concentration or presence of free amino acids in the blood stream. The structural measurement of aminoacidemia is a fundamental laboratory analysis for neonatal screening and diagnosing inborn errors of metabolism, such as phenylketonuria, or for monitoring liver and kidney function in critical pathological states.