HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Brown, R. G. Articles by De Jesus, M.-L. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Brown, R. G. Articles by De Jesus, M.-L.

Urea Metabolism in Sulfate-Deprived and Sulfate-Supplemented Rats

University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada and Drexel Institute of Technology, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104

Abstract

The influence of sulfate-deprivation and supplementation on urea excretion, in vitro synthesis of urea as well as the response of the rat to high-protein stress was studied. Sulfate-deprivation resulted in a significant decrease in urea excretion during the fourth and seventh weeks. During this time there were no differences in fecal nitrogen excretion but there were significant decreases in urinary nitrogen levels which suggested retention of nitrogen. Because there were no significant differences in weight gains between the two diet groups, the observed retention of nitrogen was probably transient, perhaps as glutamine or a similar urea precursor. Decreased urea excretion during the critical times appeared to be due to a lack of capacity of the sulfate-deprived animal to synthesize urea as measured indirectly by the inability of sulfate-deprived animals to respond as readily to high-protein challenge or directly in an in vitro system. An hypothesis was presented to explain these findings.

¹ Department of Animal Science, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.

² Department of Nutrition and Food. Drexel Institute of Technology, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104.