Metabolic intermediates are molecules that are the precursors or metabolites of biologically significant molecules. Although these intermediates are of relatively minor direct importance to cellular function, they can play important roles in the

allosteric In biochemistry, allosteric regulation (or allosteric control) is the regulation of an enzyme by binding an effector molecule at a site other than the enzyme's active site. The site to which the effector binds is termed the ''allosteric site ...

regulation of

enzyme Enzymes () are proteins that act as biological catalysts by accelerating chemical reactions. The molecules upon which enzymes may act are called substrates, and the enzyme converts the substrates into different molecules known as products. A ...

Clinical significance

Some can be useful in measuring rates of metabolic processes (for example,

3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid 3,4-Dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) is a metabolite of the neurotransmitter dopamine. Dopamine can be metabolized into one of three substances. One such substance is DOPAC. Another is 3-methoxytyramine (3-MT). Both of these substances are ...

3-aminoisobutyrate 3-Aminoisobutyric acid (also known as β-aminoisobutyric acid or BAIBA) is a product formed by the catabolism of thymine. During exercise, the increase of PGC-1α protein triggers the secretion of BAIBA from exercising muscles to blood (concentr ...

). Because they can represent unnatural points of entry into natural metabolic pathways, some (such as

AICA ribonucleotide 5-Aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide ribonucleotide (AICAR) is an intermediate in the generation of inosine monophosphate. AICAR is an analog of adenosine monophosphate (AMP) that is capable of stimulating AMP-dependent protein kinase (AMPK) activity. ...

) are of interest to researchers in developing new therapies.

Clinical significance

See also