Deamination is the removal of an amino group from a molecule. Enzymes that catalyse this reaction are called deaminases. Deamination takes place primarily in the liver, however it can also occur in the kidney. In situations of excess protein intake, deamination is used to break down amino acids for energy. The amino group is removed from the amino acid and converted to ammonia. The rest of the amino acid is made up of mostly carbon and hydrogen, and is recycled or oxidized for energy. [see: Wikipedia]