Uric Acid
Uricase - end point
| REF | Volume |
|---|---|
| N/A | N/A |
Product description:
Uric acid is generated from metabolic conversion of either exogenous (dietary) or endogenous
purines, primarily in the liver and intestine. Approximately two-thirds of total body urate is
produced endogenously, while the remaining one-third is accounted for by dietary purines. Most
mammals degrade uric acid to 5-hydroxyisourate and eventually to allantoin. However, in humans
and some apes, uric acid remains as the final enzymatic degradation product of purine metabolism
due to the mutated uricase gene approximately 10-15 million years ago. Due to this reason the
serum urate levels are higher in humans. In healthy men, the urate pool averages about 1200 mg
with a mean turnover rate of 700 mg/day.
In addition to its role as a metabolic waste product, uric acid has been proposed to be an
important molecule with multiple functions in human physiology and pathophysiology and is linked
to human diseases beyond nephrolithiasis and gout. Uric acid homeostasis is determined by the
balance between production, intestinal secretion, and renal excretion. The kidney is an
important regulator of circulating uric acid levels, by reabsorbing around 90% of filtered
urate, while being responsible for 60% of urate excretion.
