Cats were fasted overnight then given a single meal complete in all amino acids

Question

Cats were fasted overnight then given a single meal complete in all amino acids except arginine. Within 2 hours, blood ammonia levels increased from a normal level of 18 ?/L to 140 ?L, and the cats showed the clinical symptoms of ammonia toxicity. A control group fed a complete amino acid diet showed no unusual clinical symptoms. What was the purpose of fasting in the experiment? Lowered blood lipids from fasting reduces their interference with amino acid catabolism. O Lowered blood glucose from fasting promotes faster amino acid catabolism. O Fasting lowers total protein levels causing faster incorporation of amino acids into proteir. O Fasting tends to reduce the metabolic variability between cats. Why does the absence of arginine lead to ammonia toxicity? Scroll down for feedback. Without arginine in the urea cycle, urea is degrated to ammonia and CO2. Arginine is a product of aminotransferase reactions that utilize ammonia as a donor Arginine inhibits the aminotransferase reactions that remove nitrogen from other amino acids. Ammonia excretion as urea requires a functional urea cycle. Arginine is an intermediate in the urea cycle and its absence stalls the cycle.

Explanation / Answer

The absence of arginine leads to ammonia toxicity since Argonne is an intermediate in the urea cycle and it's absence stalls the cycle.

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