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Team:NYMU-Taipei/Project/Urea
From 2008.igem.org
Contents |
Why should urea be removed
Physiologically, urea is synthesized from ammonia and carbon dioxide. The elimination of urea means getting rid of nitrogenous waste from the body. In healthy individuals, blood plasma may be filtrated by kidney and the waste may be removed by urination; in patients with renal failure, such waste may be accumulated in blood. These patients have to get renal dialysis treatment to remove the waste, or they would suffer from hepatic failure and encephalopathy, which is worse. For these reasons, urea should be removed by a healthy kidney or by medical treatment.
However, the renal dialysis treatment knocks down the quality of life because of the time spent being treated and equipment portage (or patient transportation). If urea can be removed by the enterobacteria (bacteria in intestines, such as E. coli or our BacToKidney), a capsule or an yogurt-like drug may help reduce the frequency of get renal dialyzed and increase the quality of life. If so, the next half of the patients' lifespan may be more fun.
How do we try to remove urea
Uptake Method
Adsorption Method
- Urea remover 1: use albumin to adsorb urea on the surface of bacteria
- Urea remover 2: use urease to bind urea on the surface of bacteria
- Urea remover 3: "Lactobaccilize" the bacteria; produce more lactic acid and adsorb urea on the bacterial capsule in low pH level
How to measure the concentration of urea
Diacetyl monoxime method:
Diacetyl Monoxime + Urea --> Diazine (yellow)
- WHO SOP
- The Automated Thiosemicarbazide-Diacetyl Monoxime Method for Plasma Urea, Clinical Chemistry 15: 393-396, 1969
