Physiological role of taurine - from organism to organelle

TY - JOUR

T1 - Physiological role of taurine - from organism to organelle

AU - Lambert, Ian Henry

AU - Kristensen, David Møbjerg Boslev

AU - Holm, Jacob Bak

AU - Mortensen, Ole Hartvig

N1 - © 2014 Scandinavian Physiological Society. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

PY - 2015/1/1

Y1 - 2015/1/1

N2 - Taurine is often referred to as a semi-essential amino acid as newborn mammals have a limited ability to synthesize taurine and have to rely on dietary supply. Taurine is not thought to be incorporated into proteins as no aminoacyl tRNA synthetase has yet been identified and is not oxidized in mammalian cells. However, taurine contributes significantly to the cellular pool of organic osmolytes and has accordingly been acknowledged for its role in cell volume restoration following osmotic perturbation. This review describes taurine homeostasis in cells and organelles with emphasis on taurine biophysics/membrane dynamics, regulation of transport proteins involved in active taurine uptake and passive taurine release as well as physiological processes, for example, development, lung function, mitochondrial function, antioxidative defence and apoptosis which seem to be affected by a shift in the expression of the taurine transporters and/or the cellular taurine content.

AB - Taurine is often referred to as a semi-essential amino acid as newborn mammals have a limited ability to synthesize taurine and have to rely on dietary supply. Taurine is not thought to be incorporated into proteins as no aminoacyl tRNA synthetase has yet been identified and is not oxidized in mammalian cells. However, taurine contributes significantly to the cellular pool of organic osmolytes and has accordingly been acknowledged for its role in cell volume restoration following osmotic perturbation. This review describes taurine homeostasis in cells and organelles with emphasis on taurine biophysics/membrane dynamics, regulation of transport proteins involved in active taurine uptake and passive taurine release as well as physiological processes, for example, development, lung function, mitochondrial function, antioxidative defence and apoptosis which seem to be affected by a shift in the expression of the taurine transporters and/or the cellular taurine content.

U2 - 10.1111/apha.12365

DO - 10.1111/apha.12365

M3 - Review

C2 - 25142161

SN - 1748-1708

VL - 213

SP - 191

EP - 212

JO - Acta Physiologica (Print)

JF - Acta Physiologica (Print)

IS - 1

ER -