Regulation of Urea Cycle

Regulation of the urea cycle involves with N-acetyl glutamate (NAG) and Substrate Concentrations. Let us discuss.

N-acetyl glutamate (NAG)

  • NAG activates CPS I enzyme.
  • NAG produced by the acetyl CoA and glutamate by using NAG synthase.
  • Arginine and glutamic acid help speed up this process. Glutamic acid plays a double role as both a starting material and a booster for the urea cycle.

Substrate Concentrations

  • Most enzymes work depends on how much of their substrates they have. Arginase is excluded from this process.

Urea Cycle – Steps, Disorders and Significance

The steps of the urea cycle generally consist of the five reactions in the mitochondrial matrix and the cytosol. The urea cycle also known as the ornithine cycle or the Krebs-Henseleit cycle is a series of different biochemical reactions that produce urea from ammonia in the ureotelic organisms.

The whole process takes place in the mitochondria of the liver cells. This cycle is a major metabolic pathway to remove nitrogen from the body with ammonia and carbon dioxide. A urea cycle needs 4 ATP to complete the whole process which is irreversible. In this article, we are going to discuss the different steps of the Urea Cycle in detail.

Table of Content

  • What is Urea Cycle?
  • What are the 5 Steps of Urea Cycle?
  • Urea Cycle Diagram
  • Regulation of Urea Cycle
  • Energetics and Overall Reaction of Urea Cycle
  • What is the Significance of Urea Cycle?
  • Urea Cycle Disorders

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What is Urea Cycle?

Definition: The urea cycle is a process that helps to remove the harmful gases i.e. ammonia and carbon dioxide from the body. It is a five step biochemical reaction that mainly produces the urea. The whole process take place in the mitochondria of the liver cells....

What are the 5 Steps of Urea Cycle?

The urea cycle begins in liver cells and finishes in the cytoplasm. The final product is then transported to the kidney for removal from the body as urine. Here are the five steps involved in the urine cycle as mentioned below....

Urea Cycle Diagram

Here is the diagram of the Urea Cycle as mentioned below:...

Regulation of Urea Cycle

Regulation of the urea cycle involves with N-acetyl glutamate (NAG) and Substrate Concentrations. Let us discuss....

Energetics and Overall Reaction of Urea Cycle

The urea cycle is a one-directional process that need 4 ATP to complete the whole process. Formation of the carbamoyl phosphate uses two ATPs. One ATP converts into AMP and PPi to create argininosuccinate. It is equal to two ATPs. So, in total, the whole process takes 4 ATP to perform. Here is the whole reaction of the urea cycle as mentioned below....

What is the Significance of Urea Cycle?

Here are the major significance of the urea cycle as mentioned below....

Urea Cycle Disorders

Urea cycle disorders (UCDs) are genetic conditions. It can cause ammonia to build up in the blood. These disorders are caused by inherited deficiencies in one of the six enzymes or two transporters of the urea cycle pathway. In simple words, these disorders affect the functions of proteins and enzymes that removes ammonia from our blood. Here are some common Urea Cycle Disorders as mentioned below....

Conclusion – Urea Cycle

The urea cycle is a set of metabolic events in the liver that convert ammonia to urea. The urea cycle consists of six enzymes that eliminate nitrogen generated during amino acid metabolism. They convert it into urea, which dissolves in the urine. This article explains the importance and regulation of the urea cycle. There are several problems associated with defective urea cycle enzyme action....

FAQs on Urea Cycle

What are the Steps Involved in Urea Cycle?...