Video Transcript
What ultimately happens to the urea
produced in the ornithine cycle? (A) It is excreted in the
urine. (B) It is reabsorbed into the
bloodstream. (C) It is released from the body
via respiration. Or (D) it is dissolved into the
stomach acid.
This question asks us about the
ornithine cycle, which is a process that occurs in an organ called the liver. Let’s discuss this process so that
we can work out the correct answer to this question.
One of the many roles that the
liver plays is detoxifying and neutralizing toxic compounds to make them less
harmful to our body tissues. One such compound that the liver
detoxifies is a substance called ammonia, which is produced during the deamination
of amino acids and is highly toxic to humans. The ornithine cycle converts toxic
ammonia into a less toxic compound, urea. Even though urea is much less
harmful than ammonia, it still needs to be removed from the body. Urea can be transported to the
kidneys, and it is eventually excreted as a part of urine.
Now, we can answer this question
correctly. We are being asked what happens to
the urea that is produced in the ornithine cycle. And we now know that the answer is
(A). It is excreted in the urine.
