Peptide - HRT Solutions

What is a Peptide?

Peptides are short chains of amino acids linked by peptide bonds. Typically, peptides contain less than 50 amino acids. Anything larger is considered a protein.

Peptides serve many important biological functions. For example:

• Some peptides act as chemical messengers and play roles in cell signaling, communication between cells, and regulating physiological processes. These messenger peptides are also called hormones.
• Other peptides have antimicrobial, anticancer, or immunomodulatory activities. These peptides help defend the body against pathogens and diseases.
• Special peptides act to signal immune cells to initiate the repair and remodeling of wounded or damaged tissues, acting as tissue repair factors.
• Certain peptides even function as neurotransmitters and modulate communication between neurons in the nervous system.

How are Peptides Formed?

Peptides form when amino acids link together via peptide bonds. During protein synthesis, the mRNA template inside cells determines the order of amino acids. As each new amino acid is added, a peptide bond forms between it and the previous amino acid.

Key Properties of Peptides:

• Short length - less than 50 amino acids
• Formed by peptide bonds between amino acids
• Can be broken down by proteases and peptidases
• Often adopt defined secondary structures like α-helices and β-sheets
• More flexible structure than larger proteins
• Wide variety of biological functions

Examples of Important Peptides:

• Insulin - peptide hormone that regulates glucose levels
• Glucagon - peptide hormone that signals the release of glucose into the bloodstream
• Oxytocin - peptide hormone involved in social bonding, reproduction, childbirth, and lactation
• Angiotensins - peptides that control blood pressure
• Defensins and cathelicidins - antimicrobial peptides that kill bacteria
• Bradykinin - peptide involved in inflammation
• Opioid peptides - peptides that act as neurotransmitters and have analgesic effects

This text provides an overview explaining what peptides are, how they are formed, their key properties, and some important examples.