noun
- An amino acid produced in the body during the breakdown of arginine, involved in the urea cycle and protein metabolism.
Usage: biochemistry; technical
Examples
- Ornithine is a key intermediate in the urea cycle, which removes excess nitrogen from the body.
- The enzyme ornithine transcarbamylase catalyzes an important step in nitrogen metabolism.
- Deficiencies in ornithine metabolism can lead to hyperammonemia.
- Ornithine is synthesized from arginine through the action of arginase.
- Athletes sometimes use ornithine supplements, though scientific evidence for performance benefits is limited.