Deamination occurs in the

Awekheed

10 years ago

In the human body, deamination takes place

primarily in the liver , however glutamate is

also deaminated in the kidneys. Deamination is

the process by which amino acids are broken

down if there is an excess of protein intake.

The amino group is removed from the amino

acid and converted to ammonia. The rest of

the amino acid is made up of mostly carbon

and hydrogen , and is recycled or oxidized for

energy. Ammonia is toxic to the human

system, and enzymes convert it to urea or uric

acid by addition of carbon dioxide molecules

(which is not considered a deamination

process) in the urea cycle , which also takes

place in the liver. Urea and uric acid can safely

diffuse into the blood and then be excreted in

urine.