InstrumentPegasus HT system (Leco Corporation, St Joseph, USA) coupled with an Agilent 6890N gas chromatography
Expression FC4.970
Chemical FormulaCH4N2O
Average Molecular Weight60.05530
CAS Registry Number57-13-6
Biological Properties
DescriptionUrea is a highly soluble organic compound formed in the liver from ammonia produced by the deamination of amino acids. It is the principal end product of protein catabolism and constitutes about one half of the total urinary solids. Urea is formed in a cyclic pathway known simply as the urea cycle. In this cycle, amino groups donated by ammonia and L-aspartate are converted to urea. Urea is essentially a waste product; it has no physiological function. It is dissolved in blood (in humans in a concentration of 2.5 - 7.5 mmol/liter) and excreted by the kidney in the urine. In addition, a small amount of urea is excreted (along with sodium chloride and water) in human sweat. Urea is found to be associated with primary hypomagnesemia, which is an inborn error of metabolism.