Centre for Atherothrombosis and Metabolic Disease, Hull York Medical School, University of Hull, Hull HU6 7RX, UK.
Centre for Anatomical and Human Sciences, Hull York Medical School, University of Hull, Hull HU6 7RX, UK.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Sep 19;18(18):9874. doi: 10.3390/ijerph18189874.
Amino acids are now recognised as having multiple cellular functions in addition to their traditional role as constituents of proteins. This is well-illustrated in the early mammalian embryo where amino acids are now known to be involved in intermediary metabolism, as energy substrates, in signal transduction, osmoregulation and as intermediaries in numerous pathways which involve nitrogen metabolism, e.g., the biosynthesis of purines, pyrimidines, creatine and glutathione. The amino acid derivative S-adenosylmethionine has emerged as a universal methylating agent with a fundamental role in epigenetic regulation. Amino acids are now added routinely to preimplantation embryo culture media. This review examines the routes by which amino acids are supplied to the early embryo, focusing on the role of the oviduct epithelium, followed by an outline of their general fate and function within the embryo. Functions specific to individual amino acids are then considered. The importance of amino acids during the preimplantation period for maternal health and that of the conceptus long term, which has come from the developmental origins of health and disease concept of David Barker, is discussed and the review concludes by considering the potential utility of amino acid profiles as diagnostic of embryo health.
氨基酸除了作为蛋白质的组成部分外，现在还被认为具有多种细胞功能。这在早期哺乳动物胚胎中得到了很好的体现，现在已知氨基酸参与中间代谢，作为能量底物，在信号转导、渗透调节以及涉及氮代谢的许多途径中作为中间产物，例如嘌呤、嘧啶、肌酸和谷胱甘肽的生物合成。氨基酸衍生物 S-腺苷甲硫氨酸已成为一种通用的甲基供体，在表观遗传调控中具有重要作用。现在，氨基酸通常被添加到胚胎植入前的培养液中。本文综述了氨基酸向早期胚胎供应的途径，重点介绍了输卵管上皮的作用，然后概述了它们在胚胎中的一般命运和功能。然后考虑了特定于个别氨基酸的功能。讨论了氨基酸在植入前阶段对母体健康和长期胚胎健康的重要性，这来自于 David Barker 的健康和疾病起源概念，本文最后还考虑了氨基酸谱作为胚胎健康诊断的潜在用途。
