Purines are a type of organic compound that play a crucial role in the biochemistry of living organisms. They are one of the two main categories of nitrogenous bases found in nucleotides, which are the building blocks of DNA and RNA. The two most common purines are adenine and guanine, which are essential for various cellular processes, including energy transfer and the synthesis of genetic material. In addition to their role in nucleic acids, purines are involved in the production of ATP (adenosine triphosphate), the primary energy carrier in cells. They can also be found in certain foods, such as meat, fish, and legumes, and are metabolized in the body to produce uric acid, which is excreted in urine.