Peptide

What is a peptide?

A peptide is a short chain of amino acids linked by peptide bonds. Peptides are shorter than proteins but longer than amino acids. Some key facts about peptides:

• Peptides are typically less than 50 amino acids in length. Anything longer is considered a protein.


• Peptides play many important roles in the human body, including cell signaling, immune function, and antimicrobial activity.


• Many peptides derived from food proteins have bioactive properties and provide health benefits. These include antioxidative, antihypertensive, and antimicrobial effects.


• Peptides can be naturally occurring or synthesized in the laboratory. Synthetic peptides have applications in medicine, cosmetics, and health supplements.

So in summary, peptides are short chains of amino acids that play diverse functional roles in living organisms. They have huge potential for use in promoting health and treating disease.

Now let's get a bit more technical. The distinguishing feature of peptides is that they contain peptide bonds. These are amide bonds that link the carboxyl group of one amino acid to the amino group of another. This linkage gives peptides their structural backbone.

Some examples of important peptides include:

• Oxytocin - the "love hormone" involved in social bonding


• Glutathione - the main endogenous antioxidant that protects cells


• Bradykinin - a vasodilator involved in inflammation

In summary, peptides are versatile, multifunctional compounds that play critical roles in biology. As research continues, new therapeutic applications of peptides are constantly emerging. The future is bright when it comes to the promise of peptides for improving health and treating disease.