Leucine anabolic effect

Figure 8.16 The control of amino acid breakdown and protein synthesis in liver. The factors in regulation are as follows (i) the amino acid concentration in the blood regulates the rate of urea production (Chapter 10) (ii) the amino acid leucine, and the anabolic hormones increase the rate of protein synthesis. Mass action is a term used to describe the effect of concentration of substrate on the reaction rate. The control of protein synthesis is discussed in Chapter 20. Control by leucine has been studied primarily in muscle.

With two exceptions (lysine and leucine see below), all of the proteinogenic amino acids are also glucogenic. Quantitatively, they represent the most important precursors for gluconeogenesis. At the same time, they also have an anaplerotic effect—1. e., they replenish the tricarboxylic acid cycle in order to feed the anabolic reactions that originate in it (see p. 138). 

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