Chromatography Forum

Can anyone tell me why amino acids are analyzed in the field of biochemistry/metabolism?

Amino acid analysis is highly desirable in amino acid metabolism diseases such phenylketonuria which involves phenylalanine metabolism. Another use for measuring the amount of certain amino acids (tryptophan or serine) in other metabolic diseases. The agricultural industry runs these test to determine lysine amount in animal feed and many other assays relate to the uptake or amounts of the amino acid present in the blood urine or food item to allow for control of these supplements to animals overall (lysine being a good anti-viral). There are many more uses (for protein sequencing for instance) that are involved in biochemistry or metabolism. For every amino acid there is relevant genetic mutation giving an amino acid disease and hence this technique is powerful for monitoring amino acid levels in patients that have these diseases