13.1.2

Urea

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Urea

Urea needs to be removed from the body because it is toxic. When there is too much urea in the bloodstream, it can harm cells and tissues.

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Amino acids

  • Urea is formed when the digestion of protein results in an excess of amino acids, which can't be stored in the body.
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Deamination

  • In the liver, the amino acids undergo deamination. This process removes the nitrogen-containing parts and yields ammonia as a waste product.
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Ammonia

  • The ammonia is then converted into urea, which is much less toxic, and excreted from the body as urine.
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Assimilation

  • The liver also assimilates amino acids, before converting them into proteins such as fibrinogen.

Jump to other topics

1Classification of Living Organisms

2Organisation of the Organism

3Movement Into & Out of Cells

4Biological Molecules

5Enzymes

6Plant Nutrition

7Human Nutrition

8Transport in Plants

9Transport in Animals

10Diseases & Immunity

11Gas Exchange in Humans

12Respiration

13Excretion in Humans

14Coordination & Response

15Drugs

16Reproduction

17Inheritance

18Variation & Selection

19Organisms & Their Environment

20Human Influence on Ecosystems

21Biotechnology & Genetic Modification

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