Proline

Proline is an amino acid*.

Amino acids generally are defined in the column on the right. There are two types of amino acid:
* Those that can be synthesized by the body itself, and
* Those that (are necessary for healthy growth or maintenance of the body) but cannot be produced by the body itself. This second type of amino acids are called "Essential Amino Acids", and are also referred to as "Indispensible Amino Acids" in some textbooks.

Proline is a "non-essential" or "dispensible" amino acid because, although its presence in an appropriate quantity is important for good health, the human body can produce this chemical (from any excess of certain other amino acids in the body). Therefore it is not essential as a component of one's diet.

*Note that from a chemical point-of-view, proline differs from other amino acids because it lacks a primary amine (or "amino") group (-NH₂), see definition in the right-hand column. Proline is sometimes called an "imino acid", even though some argue that this is not strictly correct either because the chemicals called "imines" contain a carbon-nitrogen double bond, which is not true for proline.
Nevertheless, these considerations are more important for chemists and biochemistry researchers than to those with a clinical interest in the importance of this chemical for the body: Proline is commonly called an amino acid, and as such it is the only cyclic amino acid. It may also be described as a "non-polar amino acid".

Proline is an important chemical in many physiological functions including creating collagen and facilitating the absorption of nutrients in the intestines.

The molecular formula of proline is: C₅H₉NO₂

For further general information visit the page about Amino Acids.

Textbooks about Amino Acids and Biochemistry generally:
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