Reactivity of taurine with aldehydes and its physiological role.

The chemical reactions of the amino group of taurine with aldehydes were investigated. Glucose, acetaldehyde, and malondialdehyde were used as aldehydes. After taurine had reacted, the amounts of remaining taurine and aldehydes were measured, and the reactivity was evaluated. Amino acids such as glycine, α-alanine, and β-alanine were compared because of their structural resemblance to each other. Taurine showed a high reactivity with each one of the aldehydes tested.