Ammonia Essay

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1. Describe the principal organs responsible for producing ammonia and how ammonia is produced.
The major sites for the production of ammonia are the intestines, liver, and kidneys. It is biosynthesized through normal amino acid metabolism. The kidneys generate ammonia from glutamine by the actions of renal glutaminase and glutamate dehydrogenase. Ammonia is formed from urea by the action of bacterial urease in the lumen of the intestine, which is absorbed from the intestine by the portal vein. Amines obtained from diet and monoamines that serve as neurotransmitters or hormones can create ammonia by action of amine oxidase. In purine and pyrimidine catabolism, amino groups attached to the rings are released as ammonia.
2. Describe the mechanism by which a) mammals and b) fish remove ammonia from their bodies.
In mammals, ammonia excretion is unsuitable for disposing of nitrogenous waste on land. Mammals would have to urinate profusely to eliminate ammonia because of the toxicity, which would have to transport through the animal to be excreted in an extremely dilute solution. However...

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