URINE

This article is about the urine of animals generally. For urine produced specifically by the human body, see Human urine.

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Urine is liquid produced by an animal's kidney, collected in the bladder and excreted through the urethra. Urine is used to extract excess minerals or vitamins as well as corpuscles from the body. A range of other substances, including alcohol and artificial sweeteners, are also extracted through the bladder. Urine can also play a role in sexual behaviour.

Composition

Healthy urine is a clear aqueous solution, varying in colour from dark yellow to colourless, depending on the dilution. The main constituents of urine water, salts and urea. urochrome is the pigment that gives urine its color. Urea is one of the three nitrogenous waste products. The other two are creatinine and uric acid. Urine also contains various inorganic ions, including sodium and chloride. Lighter urine color usually indicates higher water consumption.

Diagnostic uses

It has been suggested that this section be merged into Human urine. (Discuss)

Main articles: Urinalysis and Urinary casts

As well as removing waste from the body, urine can be examined to determine many medical conditions concerning the bladder, kidneys, and even metabolic functions of the body.

The presence of sugar in the urine indicates the possibility of diabetes mellitus. Albumin in the urine suggests renal disease or damage.

Urine may be examined under a microscope to examine white blood cells and red blood cells to denote abnormal blood in the urine (known as hematuria), or bacteria denoting an infection (usually in conjunction with white blood cells). Pollen can also be detected.

Urinary casts can also be observed, and depending on their classification, they can indicate kidney degeneration or failure. Red blood cell casts will prove whether blood in the urine originates from the kidney.

The most common pregnancy tests are simple urine analysis devices.

For pain when urinating see dysuria.

Other uses

Some animals, such as cats and dogs, spray urine on objects to mark their territory or property.

Taking advantage of the scents of those animals' urine, some companies sell animal urine, usually coyote or fox to cities and other organizations to prevent their trees from being stolen for use as Christmas trees.

Many drug tests are done on urine.

In more rural times, urine was collected and used in the manufacture of gunpowder. Stale urine was filtered through a barrel full of straw and allowed to continue to sour for a year or more. After this period of time, water was used to wash the resulting chemical salts from the straw. This slurry was filtered through wood ashes and allowed to dry in the sun. Saltpeter (potassium nitrate) crystals were then collected and added to brimstone (sulphur) and charcoal (carbon) to create black powder. This practice was documented in the Foxfire series of books.

Premarin is a hormone replacement product produced from the urine of a pregnant horse and is one of the most widely used hormone therapies.

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