PROTEINS FUNCTIONS(NUTRITION) (16/08/2005)
Question: What is the function of proteins in your body?
Answer: Proteins have many functions. They serve as enzymatic catalysts, are used as
transport molecules (hemoglobin transports oxygen) and storage molecules (iron is stored
in the liver as a complex with the protein ferritin); they are used in movement (proteins
are the major component of muscles); they are needed for mechanical support (skin and
bone contain collagen-a fibrous protein); they mediate cell responses (rhodopsin is a
protein in the eye which is used for vision); antibody proteins are needed for immune
protection; control of growth and cell differentiation uses proteins (hormones). These
are just a few examples of the many, many functions of proteins.
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