Protein Analysis and Proteins as Pharmaceutical Agents

The vast majority of drug receptors in the body are proteins. Many are enzymes or cell surface receptors. Proteins are involved in virtually every cellular process and are components in most 

Proteins have been a major preoccupation of biochemistry and molecular biology since the inception of those scientific fields. There are several ways to study proteins. Analysis of three-dimensional structure has been briefly described above. Biochemists have devised many ways to study cn/ymc function. One classic technique is to isolate an enzyme to near purity, then to attempt to study the chemical reaction it mediates in great detail. This is a key strategy in dissecting the biochemical pathways of energy metabolism, biosynthesis, and degradation. Another technique is made possible by modem molecular genetics. 

Proteins also serve as chemical signals in the body. At the level of organ systems, proteins regulate immune responses, cell growth cycles, hormone responses, and many other functions. Blood proteins are involved in coagulation and dissolution of blood clots. Several hormones are short proteins, or polypeptides. Many polypep- 

As the tools to study proteins and protein-protein interactions have advanced, the importance of proteins and polypeptides has become increasingly clear. The production of large quantities of proteins became feasible with the advent of recombinant DNA techniques. Many companies were founded to exploit the potential of biotechnology and most established pharmaceutical firms have many projects underway to de- 

Many of the products already on the market, and many yet to be approved, perform functions not achieved by other drugs. They represent 

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