Final answer:
Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins and are crucial for muscle protein construction. They are organic compounds that contain an amine and a carboxylic acid group. Amino acids are available in the amino acid pool within cells and are used to assemble proteins.
Step-by-step explanation:
Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins, and they are the monomers of proteins. Proteins are made up of units called amino acids, which are organic compounds that contain both an amine and a carboxylic acid group. Amino groups are found within amino acids, while methyl groups are not.
Free amino acids are available in the amino acid pool within cells, and structures within cells use these amino acids when assembling proteins. If a particular essential amino acid is not available in sufficient quantities in the amino acid pool, synthesis of proteins containing it can slow down or stop.
Overall, amino acids play a crucial role in building muscle proteins and other important tasks in the body.