Which two components are exchanged during transferase reactions in the liver?

In transferase reactions, specific functional groups are transferred between substrates, facilitating various metabolic processes. In the context of the liver, which plays a critical role in amino acid metabolism, the primary functional groups involved are amine groups and keto groups.

During transamination reactions, an amine group from one amino acid is transferred to a keto acid, resulting in the formation of a new amino acid and a different keto acid. This process is essential for synthesizing non-essential amino acids and for the catabolism of amino acids, allowing the liver to regulate nitrogen balance and participate in gluconeogenesis.

The choice of amine and keto groups emphasizes the significance of nitrogen metabolism and the liver's role in maintaining amino acid pools and energy production.