Peptides, Proteins and Hormones

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News: Bengaluru’s first “Peptide Party” was cancelled after more than 200 registrations for around 50 places, highlighting the growing peptide craze.

About Peptides, Proteins and Hormones

Peptides, Proteins and Hormones
Source – ScienceDirect
  • Amino acids: Amino acids are the basic building blocks of peptides and proteins.
    • There are 20 different amino acids that combine in various sequences to form proteins.

Key Differences

BasisPeptidesProteinsHormones
Structure
  • Peptides are relatively short chains of amino acids, generally containing 2–50 amino acids.
  • Proteins are larger chains, generally containing 50 or more amino acids, with more complex folded structures.
  • Hormones can be proteins, steroids or amino acid derivatives.
Production
  • Peptides are naturally found in the body and can also be synthesized.
  • Proteins are formed from amino acids and perform diverse functions.
  • Hormones are produced by endocrine glands and specialised cells or tissues.
Function
  • Peptides often act as signalling molecules and regulate biological functions.
  • They can also help reduce inflammation and build muscle.
  • Proteins help in building tissues, transporting molecules and supporting immune responses.
  • Hormones act as chemical messengers, carrying signals between cells and organs.
Hormonal role
  • Some peptides work like hormones and can affect different parts of the body from where they are released.
  • Some proteins can function as hormones.
  • “Hormone” describes the chemical messenger role, rather than one particular molecular structure.
Therapeutic use
  • Some peptides, such as insulin and semaglutide, are established medicines.
  • Proteins are used in therapies such as enzyme replacement and monoclonal antibody therapy.
  • Hormone therapy may involve synthetic or bioidentical hormones.
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