STUDIES ON THE PHYSIOLOGY OF THE LIVER

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
After removal of the dog''s liver there is complete cessation of the formation of urea and the administration of ammonia is followed by its recovery in the urine and tissues as ammonium salts without conversion to urea. Because of this failure of formation of urea after removal of the liver, the ammonia in the blood and tissues is usually considerably increased. Much of this ammonia apparently arises from the gastro-intestinal tract and appears quite independent of the ammonia in the urine. Ammonia in the urine following hepatectomy is dependent on the acid-base equilibrium of the body to about the same extent as in normal animals. The liver does not appear necessary for the regulation of neutrality, which is concerned in the formation of ammonia in the urine if sufficient urea is present. The urea in the blood, tissues and urine progressively decreases following hepatectomy and as the amount of preformed urea in the body becomes depleted the concentration of urea in the urine becomes extremely low. With but minimal amounts of urea in the urine the ammonia in the urine is likewise decreased, although large amounts of amino acids, uric acid and creatinine are present. The administration of these substances is without effect on the amount of ammonia in the urine, but the administration of urea is followed by a marked increase of the urinary ammonia. This appears to show that urea is the source of ammonia in the urine.

This publication has 2 references indexed in Scilit: