Effect of Bilateral Nephrectomy on Urea Formation in Rat Liver Slices

¹ From the Institute of Medical Research, Cedars of Lebanon Hospital and the Department of Medicine, University of Southern California School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California

The rate of urea synthesis by isolated liver slices has been determined. The rate of urea synthesis is approximately 50% greater in liver slices from nephrectomized rats than in those from nonuremic controls. Liver slices from intact rats maintained on a diet of 15% glucose formed only 23–50% as much urea as slices from fasted controls. The results indicate that the increased urea synthesis in liver slices from nephrectomized rats is largely due to an increase in the catabolism of liver protein resulting in an increase in urea precursors.