Urine
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- This article is about the urine of animals generally. For urine produced specifically by the human body, see Human urine.
Urine is liquid produced by animals and humans alike through the kidney, and is collected in the bladder and excreted through the urethra which is a tube inside the male penis, or a tube opening in the vulva between the vaginal opening and clitoris. 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.
[edit] 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 are 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 phosphate, sodium, and chloride. Lighter urine color usually indicates higher water consumption.
[edit] Diagnostic uses
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.
Frequent urination and presence of sugar in the urine indicates the possibility of diabetes mellitus. Albumin in the urine suggests renal disease or damage. Certain hormones excereted during pregnancy can also be found in urine, making urine analysis tests one of the most common pregnancy tests.
When there is blood in the urine you may need to see a doctor.
Urine may be tested with urine dips or examined under a microscope to find white blood cells or red blood cells. The presense of blood in the urine (known as hematuria) is abnormal and often points to infection or illness. Bacteria may also sometimes be found in urine, 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.
For pain when urinating see dysuria.
Urine is typically composed of 95% water, and 5% solids.
[edit] 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. The scents of carnivore urine (bobcat, mountain lion, and wolf, in addition to coyote and fox) are also sold to the public in pelletized form to repel garden browsing by herbivores such as squirrels and rabbits, as well as deterring domestic or feral cats from marking territory, or catching birds, in gardens. When the pellets are sprinkled on a target area, the intruding animal will instinctively recognize the territorial urinary scent of its predators and avoid the area. Additionally, in some cultures urine is used as an Aphrodosiac during mating ceremonies.
Many drug tests and other clinical chemical analyses are done on urine. These test are used to find whether individuals are pregnant, drug users, or other hormone and substance usage questions.
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.
Urine has often been used as a mordant to help prepare textiles, especially wool, for dying.
Urine can be consumed in situations that warrant it (extreme dehydration).
Premarin is a hormone replacement product produced from the urine of a pregnant horse and is one of the most widely used hormone therapies.ar:بول gd:Mùn pt:Urine zh:尿
