Urea
Biology: AQA GCSE Higher, topic 5.3.12
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.
Amino acids
- Urea is formed when the digestion of protein results in an excess of (too many) amino acids, which can't be stored in the body.
Deamination
- In the liver, these amino acids undergo a process known as deamination, and the waste product is ammonia.
Ammonia
- The ammonia is then converted into urea and must be excreted from the body as urine.
Test yourself on Urea
What can happen if too much urea builds up in the bloodstream?
Production of Urea
What happens to amino acids that the body has in excess?
Why is it important that urea is excreted from the body as urine?
What would happen to the amount of urea produced if a person ate more protein than their body needed?