Where does oxidative deamination primarily occur in the body?

Oxidative deamination primarily occurs in the liver, making it the correct choice. This biochemical process involves the removal of an amino group from amino acids, resulting in the formation of ammonia and a corresponding keto acid. The liver plays a crucial role in the metabolism of amino acids, as it is responsible for detoxifying ammonia into urea through the urea cycle. This is essential because ammonia is toxic at high levels, and its conversion to urea allows for its safe excretion via the kidneys.

Although other tissues, such as the kidneys and muscle, also participate in amino acid metabolism, the liver is the primary site for oxidative deamination. In muscle tissue, amino acids can be deaminated but to a lesser extent, and the primary focus of energy production is typically on the conversion of amino acids into metabolic substrates rather than ammonia detoxification. The intestines contribute to amino acid absorption and initial metabolism but are not involved in oxidative deamination. Thus, the liver's central role in processing and detoxifying amino acids through oxidative deamination solidifies it as the main site of this metabolic process.