Republic of the Philippines

State Universities and Colleges

SOUTHERN ILOILO POLYTECHNIC COLLEGE
Western Visayas College of Science and Technology - Miagao Campus
Miag-ao, Iloilo

Protein
What is Protein?

- macronutrients that support the growth and maintenance of body tissues.

- builds, maintains, and replaces the tissues in your body.
- composed of small units called Amino acids.

8 Types of Protein and its function

1. Enzymatic proteins
- enzymes that speed up chemical reactions in your body.
- increase metabolism for stomach digestion, pancreas function, blood clotting and
converting glycogen into glucose.
- an example is digestive enzymes that break down food into simpler forms that your body
can easily absorb.

2. Structural proteins
- known as fibrous proteins.
- exist in the outer coverings of humans and animals, and these make up skin, fur, scales,
feathers, fingernails, hair, teeth and hooves
- Other structural proteins are myosin and actin that exist in smooth muscle tissue such as
in the lungs, uterus, intestinal tract and blood vessels, and maintain the structural
integrity of the cell.
- They include collagen, keratin and elastin.
 Collagen- forms the connective framework of your muscles, bones, tendons, skin
and cartilage.
 Keratin - main structural component in hair, nails, teeth and skin.
 Elastin - coil and recoils like a spring within the elastic fibers of connective tissue
and accounts for the elasticity of structures such the skin, blood vessels, heart,
lungs, intestines, tendons, and ligaments.

3. Hormonal proteins
- hormones found in the endocrine glands.
- act as chemical messengers that transmit signals from one cell to another.
- each hormone affects certain cells in your body, known as target cells.
- includes insulin, oxytocin, and somatotropin.
 Insulin - regulates glucose metabolism by controlling the blood-sugar
concentration.
 Oxytocin- stimulates contractions in females during childbirth.
 Somatotropin - stimulates protein production in muscle cells.

4. Defensive proteins
- antibodies that help your immune system fight off disease.
- made in your white blood cells and bind to viruses and bacteria, making them inactive.
 5. Storage proteins
- mainly store mineral ions.
- includes iron, ferritin, Ovalbumin and casein
 Iron - an ion required for the formation of hemoglobin, the main structural
component of red blood cells.
 Ferritin --a storage protein that regulates and guards against the adverse effects
of excess iron in your body.
 Ovalbumin and casein - are storage proteins found in breast milk and egg whites,
respectively, that play a huge role in embryonic development.

6. Transport proteins
- carry vital materials to the cells.
- These includes hemoglobin, serum albumin, myoglobin, and calbindin;
 Hemoglobin - carries oxygen to body tissues from the lungs.
 Serum albumin - carries fats in your bloodstream
 Myoglobin - absorbs oxygen from hemoglobin and then releases it to the muscles.
 Calbindin - facilitates the absorption of calcium from the intestinal walls.

7. Receptor proteins
- are located at the exterior of the cell plasma membrane and regulate substances and
nutrients in and out of your cells, similar to a pump.
- some receptors activate enzymes, while others stimulate endocrine glands to secrete
epinephrine and insulin to regulate blood sugar levels.
- your body has three types of protein receptors that function in different ways;
 transform enzymes from inactive to active.
 stimulates cells to open and allow sodium to pass through the membranes.
 stimulates your glands to release epinephrine if your blood sugar is too low and
to release insulin if your blood sugar is too high.

8. Contractile proteins
- also called motor proteins.
- control contractions in the heart and muscles.
- The two major contractile proteins are myosin and actin, which interact with each other
to produce the muscle contractions.

References: http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/eight-types-protein-function-4559.html

http://www.livestrong.com/article/520931-eight-types-of-protein-and-their-function/

http://extension.usu.edu/files/publications/publication/FN_191.pdf
 Republic of the Philippines
State Universities and Colleges
SOUTHERN ILOILO POLYTECHNIC COLLEGE
Western Visayas College of Science and Technology - Miagao Campus
Miag-ao, Iloilo

Builds,
maintains, and
replaces the
tissues in your
body

Support the
Composed of
growth and
small units
maintenance of
called Amino
body tissues Protein acids

Types of Protein