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Biological Actions: Protein Metabolism
Glucagon inhibits protein synthesis. It causes proteolysis of liver protein; this is especially true when insulin levels are low. It favors increased hepatic uptake of such gluconeogenic amino acids as alanine, glutamic acid, and glutamine. After deamination and transamination these amino acids, and those recovered from proteolysis of hepatic protein, can be used as substrates to be incorporated in the carbohydrate cycles and used for energy. Since gluconeogenesis is favored by glucagon, it follows that the urea cycle is more active, a greater concentration of urea is produced, coupled by an increased urinary nitrogen, and an overall negative nitrogen balance is established.
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