Small peptide, also called nano oligopeptide collagen ( abbreviated as OCO ), is generally made up of 2-3 amino acids. As an important chemical substance, its average molecular weight is about 300 Daltons. The final products of protein (collagen) in the digestive tract are often the small peptides rather than free amino acids. Small peptide can be absorbed completely and start the blood circulation in the form of small cycle.
Actually, small peptide has important protein nutrition effect as well. In addition to providing amino acids for the animals, such peptide has a variety of physiological activity. In order to realize the optimum performance, a certain number of small peptides are required for animals. With the in-depth research on proteins and amino acids, more and more people come to realize the importance of peptide nutrition, such as palmitoyl pentapeptide and pure argireline. Certainly, not any kind of small peptides could have the same effects. Furthermore, the best small peptide species for different animals may be limited.
Due to the large number of proteases and peptidases in animals, people used to believe that animal proteins can be absorbed and utilized when they are degraded into free amino acids after the degradation of small peptide. Therefore, in the past decades, scientists usually regarded the amino acids as the main nutrition of medical research, industrial production, career pursuit, as well as the food. In the 1960s, scientists presented the convincing evidence that small peptide can be completely absorbed and utilized. According to this major discovery, people gradually accept the opinion that peptide can be directly absorbed by animals.
A mixture of amino acids and small peptide has a higher absorption rate in human body than simple amino acids. In addition, small peptide can protect the amino acids that are easy to be damaged. A simple amino acid can compose new peptides and proteins based on its own need, while the mixture of small peptide and amino acids can omit part of the regrouping process. Given the fact, small peptide has a higher biological potency.
Studying small peptide’ carrying structure and function is helpful in revealing the role of the relationship between the carrier and small peptide. It has been taken as the core for current transport mechanism. With rapid development of modern peptide technology, small peptide will play an important role in the transmission information of animal body, transport carrier, and the transportation of nutrients. In brief, small peptide will possess a broader prospect in the future.