WHOLE-BODY PROTEIN-TURNOVER IN HUMANS - PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE

Protein turnover is a fundamental biological process in all living org anisms. The study of protein turnover in human subjects, and in the bo dy as a whole, is of relatively recent origin. In this review, I summa rize briefly how this field of work has expanded over the past 25 year s, with emphasis on conceptual problems and controversies, particularl y those related to methods of measurement. We cannot be certain that o ur estimates are accurate because no method of verification exists, bu t progress will be made through successive approximations. Some of the applications are described in different physiological and pathologica l states such as growth and trauma, and possible directions for fruitf ul future research are indicated.