What is taurine?

Answer 1

an acidic chemical substance found in high abundance in the tissues of many animals, especially sea animals

Answer 2

Taurine (Latin taurus = bull), as it was first isolated from ox (Bos taurus) bile in 1827 by German scientists Friedrich Tiedemann and Leopold Gmelin) or 2-aminoethanesulfonic acid is an acidic chemical substance found in high abundance in the tissues of many animals (metazoa), especially sea animals. Taurine is also found in plants, fungi, and some bacterial species, but in far less abundance. Taurine is a derivative of the sulphur-containing (sulfhydryl) amino acid, cysteine. Although it is often called an amino acid, even in scientific literature,[1][2][3] it lacks a carboxyl group and therefore does not qualify as an amino acid.[4] It does contain a sulfonate group and may be called an amino sulfonic acid. Small polypeptides have been identified which contain taurine but to date no tRNA synthetase has been identified as specifically recognizing taurine and capable of charging it to a tRNA. [5]

Answer 3

Taurine can meean a couple of things. 1. Of, relating to, or resembling a bull.
2. A colorless crystalline substance, C2H7NO3S, formed by the hydrolysis of taurocholic acid and found in the fluids of the muscles and lungs of many animals.

For more info try this site:http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/taurine

Answer 4

Taurine (Latin taurus = bull, as it was first isolated from ox (Bos taurus) bile in 1827 by German scientists Friedrich Tiedemann and Leopold Gmelin) or 2-aminoethanesulfonic acid is an acidic chemical substance found in high abundance in the tissues of many animals (metazoa), especially sea animals. Taurine is also found in plants, fungi, and some bacterial species, but in far less abundance. Taurine is a derivative of the sulphur-containing (sulfhydryl) amino acid, cysteine. Although it is often called an amino acid, even in scientific literature.

The major pathway for mammalian taurine synthesis occurs in the liver via the cysteine sulfinic acid pathway. In this pathway, the sulfhydryl group of cysteine is first oxidized to cysteine sulfinic acid by the enzyme cysteine dioxygenase. Cysteine sulfinic acid, in turn, is decarboxylated by cysteine sulfinic acid decarboxylase to form hypotaurine. It is unclear whether hypotaurine is then spontaneously or enzymatically oxidized to yield taurine.

Physiological roles
Taurine is conjugated via its amino terminal group with the bile acids chenodeoxycholic acid and cholic acid to form the bile salts sodium taurochenodeoxycholate and sodium taurocholate (see bile). The low pKa (1.5) of taurine's sulfonic acid group ensures that this moiety is negatively charged in the pH ranges normally found in the intestinal tract and thus improves the surfactant properties of the cholic acid conjugate.

Taurine has also been implicated in a wide array of other physiological phenomena including inhibitory neurotransmission, long-term potentiation in the striatum/hippocampus, membrane stabilization, feedback inhibition of neutrophil/macrophage respiratory bursts, adipose tissue regulation, and calcium homeostasis. The evidence for these claims, when compared against that reported for taurine's role in bile acid synthesis and osmoregulation, is relatively poor.

Prematurely-born infants who lack the enzymes needed to convert cystathionine to cysteine may become deficient in taurine. Thus, taurine is a dietary essential nutrient in these individuals and is often added to many infant formulas as a measure of prudence. There is also evidence that taurine in adult humans reduces blood pressure.[6]

Many therapeutic applications of taurine have been investigated. Conditions that taurine might be useful in treating include: cardiovascular diseases, hypercholesterolemia, epilepsy and other seizure disorders, macular degeneration, Alzheimer's disease, hepatic disorders, alcoholism, and cystic fibrosis.[7] Recent studies show that taurine supplements taken by mice on a high-fat diet reduced their overall weight. Studies have yet to be done on the effect of taurine on obesity in humans.[8]. Recent studies have also shown that taurine can influence(and possibly reverse) nerve blood flow, motor nerve conduction velocity, and nerve sensory threshold defects in experimental diabetic neuropathic rats (PMID: 16624563 & PMID: P11259114 Pubmed id's).


to know more pls visit
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taurine

Answer 5

An extract of bull testicles. It gives the punch to many energy drinks. MMMMMM! Pureed Rocky Mountain Oysters

Answer 6

A stimulant, like caffeine.

Answer 7

its the posh way to say that your taking the piss, as in ta urine... easy innit when your educated