Changes

==What is Arginine?==

==What is Arginine?==

Arginine is an '''essential amino acid''' for dogs and cats. It is classified as a '''gluconeogenic''' amino acid and contains a positively charged nitrogen side chain that can be used as a binding site for other molecules. Dietary arginine is absorbed by a [[Nutrition Glossary#Dibasic Amino Acids|dibasic amino acid]] transporter in the [[Small Intestine Overview - Anatomy & Physiology|small intestine]] (particularly the [[Jejunum - Anatomy & Physiology|jejunum]]) and plasma arginine is actively reabsorbed in the [[Nephron Microscopic Anatomy#Proximal Tubule|proximal tubule]] of the kidney. Species that do not require dietary arginine (such as humans) are able to endogenously synthesise adequate amounts of this amino acid through the conversion of glutamate into ornithine; ornithine is ultimately converted into arginine in the urea cycle through the activity of pyrroline-5-carboxylate synthase and ornithine aminotransferase. Low activity of these enzymes are found in dogs and cats<ref name="Burns">Burns RA, et al.  Arginine: An Indispensable Amino Acid for Mature Dogs. J Nutr 1981; 111:1020-1024.</ref><ref name="Morris">Morris JG. Nutritional and Metabolic Responses to Arginine Deficiency in Carnivores J Nutr 1985;115:524-531.</ref>. '''Dogs and cats have an absolute requirement for dietary arginine'''.

Arginine is an [[Amino Acids Overview - Nutrition|'''essential amino acid''']] for dogs and cats. It is classified as a [[Nutrition Glossary#Glucogenic Amino Acids|'''gluconeogenic''']] amino acid and contains a positively charged nitrogen side chain that can be used as a binding site for other molecules. Dietary arginine is absorbed by a [[Nutrition Glossary#Dibasic Amino Acids|dibasic amino acid]] transporter in the [[Small Intestine Overview - Anatomy & Physiology|small intestine]] (particularly the [[Jejunum - Anatomy & Physiology|jejunum]]) and plasma arginine is actively reabsorbed in the [[Nephron Microscopic Anatomy#Proximal Tubule|proximal tubule]] of the kidney. Species that do not require dietary arginine (such as humans) are able to endogenously synthesise adequate amounts of this amino acid through the conversion of glutamate into ornithine; ornithine is ultimately converted into arginine in the urea cycle through the activity of pyrroline-5-carboxylate synthase and ornithine aminotransferase. Low activity of these enzymes are found in dogs and cats<ref name="Burns">Burns RA, et al.  Arginine: An Indispensable Amino Acid for Mature Dogs. J Nutr 1981; 111:1020-1024.</ref><ref name="Morris">Morris JG. Nutritional and Metabolic Responses to Arginine Deficiency in Carnivores J Nutr 1985;115:524-531.</ref>. '''Dogs and cats have an absolute requirement for dietary arginine'''.

==Why is it Important?==

==Why is it Important?==

Arginine plays a critical role in the detoxification of [[Ammonia|ammonia]], resulting from the turnover and [[Digestibility of Protein|breakdown of proteins]]. It is an important intermediate in the urea cycle which converts ammonia to urea. In cats, the arginine dietary protein requirement is higher in order to handle the increased need for detoxifying ammonia released from amino acid catabolism a<ref name="Taylor">Taylor TP, et al. Increasing dispensable amino acids in diets of kittens fed essential amino acids at or below their requirement increases the requirement for arginine. Amino Acid 1997;13:257-272.</ref>. Cats are also highly sensitive to dietary arginine deficiency, feeding an arginine free diet to cats can result in hyperammonemia and death within a few hours<ref>Morris JG and Rogers QR. Ammonia intoxication in the near-adult cat as a result of a dietary deficiency of arginine. Science 1978 Jan 27;199(4327):431-2</ref>.

Arginine plays a critical role in the detoxification of [[Ammonia|ammonia]], resulting from the turnover and [[Digestibility of Protein|breakdown of proteins]]. It is an important intermediate in the urea cycle which converts ammonia to [[urea]]. In cats, the arginine dietary protein requirement is higher in order to handle the increased need for detoxifying ammonia released from amino acid catabolism a<ref name="Taylor">Taylor TP, et al. Increasing dispensable amino acids in diets of kittens fed essential amino acids at or below their requirement increases the requirement for arginine. Amino Acid 1997;13:257-272.</ref>. '''Cats are also highly sensitive to dietary arginine deficiency''', feeding an arginine free diet to cats can result in hyperammonemia and death within a few hours<ref>Morris JG and Rogers QR. Ammonia intoxication in the near-adult cat as a result of a dietary deficiency of arginine. Science 1978 Jan 27;199(4327):431-2</ref>.

==Roles in the Body==

==Roles in the Body==

==Dietary Sources==

==Dietary Sources==

Sufficient arginine is found in plant and animal protein sources, such as muscle meat, eggs, dairy protein (i.e., casein), cereal grains, and pulses (i.e., legumes).

Sufficient arginine is found in plant and animal protein sources, such as muscle meat, eggs, dairy protein (i.e. casein), cereal grains, and pulses (i.e. legumes).

[[Category:Amino Acids]]

[[Category:Amino Acids]]

[[Category:To Do - Nutrition]]

[[Category:To Do - Nutrition]]

[[Category:To Do - Nutrition preMars]]

[[Category:To Do - Batch 1]]