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Protein Basics
The Structure and Function of Proteins
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Amino Acid | The monomers of proteins |
| Carbon, Hydrogen, Oxygen, Nitrogen (and sometimes Sulfur) | The main elements (atoms) that make up proteins |
| Enzymes | A group of proteins that speed up biochemical reactions. |
| Hair and nails | Body structures made of the protein keratin. |
| Antibodies | Proteins made by white blood cells that are part of the body's immune system. |
| Hemoglobin | A complex protein in red blood cells that transports oxygen from the lungs to tissues. |
| Insulin | A protein hormone that helps regulate blood glucose levels. |
| -ase | An ending that often refers to a protein enzyme, such as lactase and lipase. |
| Essential amino acids | Protein building blocks that cannot be made by the body and have to be consumed in one's diet. |
| dipeptide | A short protein with two linked amino acids. |
| Polypeptide | A longer protein with amino acids linked in a particular order. |