ABSTRACT
Introduction....................................................................................................................................63 4.1 Classification of amino acid transport systems...............................................................64 4.2 SLC 1 family..........................................................................................................................68 4.3 SLC 6 family..........................................................................................................................69 4.4 SLC 7 family..........................................................................................................................70 4.5 SLC 16 family........................................................................................................................71 4.6 SLC 38 family........................................................................................................................71 4.7 Heterodimeric amino acid transporters ...........................................................................73 4.8 Conclusions ...........................................................................................................................74 Acknowledgments ........................................................................................................................75 References .......................................................................................................................................75
Amino acids perform a variety of functions in mammalian cells. They not only serve as the building blocks for protein synthesis but also play additional important roles in neurotransmission, production and storage of metabolic energy, nitrogen metabolism, and synthesis of hormones, purine and pyrimidine nucleotides, and glutathione. The intracellular pool of amino acids is derived not only from endogenous production (biosynthesis as well as protein degradation) but also from transfer across the plasma membrane. Due
