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Hydroxyproline
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Hydroxyproline

chemical compound
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Britannica Editors
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....
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Hydroxyproline, an amino acid formed upon hydrolysis of connective-tissue proteins such as collagen (about 14 percent by weight) and elastin but rarely from other proteins. First isolated (1902) from gelatin, a breakdown product of collagen, hydroxyproline is one of several so-called nonessential amino acids; i.e., animals can synthesize it from glutamic acid and do not require dietary sources. Excretion of abnormal quantities of hydroxyproline is a symptom of the connective-tissue disease called Marfan syndrome. The molecular structure of hydroxyproline contains a secondary amino group (>NH) rather than the primary amino group (-NH2) characteristic of most amino acids and is as follows:hydroxyproline, chemical compound

This article was most recently revised and updated by Erik Gregersen.