UROBILINOGEN Meaning and
Definition
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Urobilinogen is a chemical compound that is derived from the breakdown of heme in the body. It is primarily produced in the liver from various forms of bilirubin, a yellow pigment that is a byproduct of the breakdown of red blood cells.
After bilirubin is produced, it is transported to the liver where it undergoes a series of chemical reactions to form urobilinogen. This compound can then be either reabsorbed into the bloodstream or excreted in the urine and feces.
Urobilinogen is responsible for the yellow color of urine. In healthy individuals, a small amount of urobilinogen is normally present in the urine, giving it a slightly yellow hue. However, abnormally high levels of urobilinogen in urine may indicate a liver or gallbladder problem, such as hepatitis or gallstones.
In addition to its role in urine color, urobilinogen also plays a role in the production of stercobilin, a brown pigment found in feces. Urobilinogen is converted into stercobilin in the intestines and gives feces its characteristic color.
Measuring urobilinogen levels in urine can be useful in diagnosing certain medical conditions, particularly those affecting the liver or biliary system. A urinalysis can be performed to detect abnormal levels of urobilinogen, helping to identify the underlying cause of liver or gallbladder dysfunction.
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A chromogen which decomposes into urobilin.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
Common Misspellings for UROBILINOGEN
- yrobilinogen
- hrobilinogen
- jrobilinogen
- irobilinogen
- 8robilinogen
- 7robilinogen
- ueobilinogen
- udobilinogen
- ufobilinogen
- utobilinogen
- u5obilinogen
- u4obilinogen
- uribilinogen
- urkbilinogen
- urlbilinogen
- urpbilinogen
- ur0bilinogen
- ur9bilinogen
- urovilinogen
Etymology of UROBILINOGEN
The word "urobilinogen" has its etymology rooted in Greek and Latin.
The term "urobilinogen" consists of two parts: "uro-" and "bilinogen".
The prefix "uro-" comes from the Greek word "ouron", meaning urine. It is often used as a combining form in medical terminology related to urine or urinary processes.
The word "bilinogen" derives from two words. First, "bile" comes from the Latin word "bilis", which refers to the digestive fluid produced by the liver and stored in the gallbladder, known as bile. Secondly, the suffix "-gen" originates from the Greek word "genes", meaning producing or generating.
Therefore, with the combination of "uro-" and "bilinogen", the word "urobilinogen" refers to a substance - specifically, an intermediate product of bile metabolism - that is found in urine.
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