Lysine is one of four basic amino acids and has a positive charge on its side-chain. Lysine is an essential amino acid which means that it can not be synthesized in the body at a sufficient rate to meet the physiological needs of the body, and must therefore be supplied by the diet.
Lysine is one of the most important essential amino acids: it is a building block of protein and an important component in amino acid balance. It is a limiting amino acid in cereal grains and in some vegetable protein sources, then requiring synthetic supplementing to meet the animals needs, but the lysine content of animal protein is very high.
Lysine is a structural element of the proteins; it is a component of the enzymes and has a special importance in the formation of the cartilage tissues and in the ossification. As a component of the nucleotides in the cell nucleus, lysine stimulates the cellular division.
Lysine is involved in a large number of metabolic processes, that's why it has a fundamental role in animal nutrition and animal health.
