Tryptophan Metabolism Pathway
While the amino acid Tryptophan has the lowest occurrence of all common amino acids in protein, the transformation of tryptophan into bioactive metabolites is extensive and critical to biological health. Tryptophan is a precursor to many functional pathways – Serotonin / Melatonin, Kynurenine, NAD+ de novo synthesis, Indole metabolism and Tryptamine metabolism. Each of these pathways are critical biological pathways connected to health and disease. Many of Tryptophan metabolites are associated with cellular activity of all kinds: T cells, Tumor cells, Fibroblasts, macrophages, Dendritic cells, and hepatocytes for example.