BIOCHEM LABORATORY

URINALYSIS REVIEWER
 BIOCHEM LAB

URINALYSIS REVIEWER

FORMATION OF URINE

Blood flows to the kidneys through the renal arteries. From the renal arteries the blood passes
into the arterioles and then into capillaries of the kidneys. These capillaries coil up to form a glomerulus,
a rounded ball capillaries. Around the glomerulus is a structure called Bowman's capsule. Each Bowman's
capsule is connected by a tubule to a large tube, which in turn carries the urine to the bladder, where it
is stored until it is excreted.

As blood flows into the kidney, the various soiuble components diffuse into the glomeruli (there are
over a million glomeruli in each kidney). The protein material in the blood cannot pass through the
membrane (Recall that proteins are colloids, and colloids do not pass through membranes).

The driving force for this diffusion of fluid through the walls of the glomerulus is the blood pressure.
The liquid in the glomerulus thus has approximately the same composition as blood plasma except for the
protein material.

As the fluid in the glomerulus passes down the tubule, a large proportion of the water is reabsorbed
into the bloodstream. Also reabsorbed are the glucose, amino acids, and the most inorganic ions. The
remaining liquid containing urea and other waste products flows to the collecting tubules and to the
bladder.

Thus, the kidneys act as a very efficient filter, removing the waste materials but not needed nutrients
from the blood. Approximately 1 liter of blood is filtered through the kidneys every minute. Of this
amount, most of the water is reabsorbed, so the amount of urine excreted per day is iess than 1
percent of the total amount of liquid filtered. If the kidneys are not functioning normally, an artificial
kidney machine may be used.

Comparison of Composition of Blood Plasma and Urine

Percentage in Percentage
Constituent Blood Plasma in Urine
Water 90-93 95
Protein 7 0
Sodium 0.3 0.35
Glucose 0.09 0
Ammonia 0.004 0.05
Phosphate 0.009 0.5
Urea 0.03 2.0
Sulfate 0.002 0.18
 BIOCHEM LAB

URINALYSIS REVIEWER

GENERAL PROPER TIES OF URINE

VOLUME
Approximately 600 to 2500ml of urine is excreted daily, the amount depending on the fluid intake,
weather condition, humidity, and certain diuretic substances. Drugs such as caffeine (in coffee or tea
and alcoholic beverages have a diuretic effect; that is, they increase the flow of urine

Oliguria - a decreased flow of urine; such a condition may occur during a high fever when most of the
water lost by the body in the form of perspiration. Certain kidney diseases may also cause oliguria.

Anuria - means a total lack of urine excretion. Anuria indicates extensive kidney damage such as may be
caused by blood transfusion of the wrong type. In this condition the blood cells disintegrate, releasing
hemoglobin, which clogs the glumeruli and does not allow any excretion of urine.
Bichloride of mercury also affects the kidney and may cause oliguria or anuria.

Polyuria -is a condition in which the amount of urine excreted is much greater than normal. It may be
due to excessive intake of water or to certain pathologic conditions. Polyuri may be caused by such
diuretics such as alcohol or caffeine.

Urea, a normal constituent of urine, is also diuretic.

A person on a high-protein diet will excrete more urea, which in tum causes the formation of more urine

DENSITY
The density of urine varies between 1.003 and 1.030 g/ml. The density of urine depends on the
concentration of the solutes.
The greater the concentration of solutes, the greater the density in cases of diabetes mellitus, the density
will be higher because of a high concentration of sugar in the urine. In cases of diabetes insipidus, the
density will be very low (close to 1.000 g/ml) because of the large amount of water being excreted.

pH
Urine is normally slightiy acidic, with a pH range of 4.0 to 8.0 and average value of about
6.3.however, the ph of urine varies with the diet. Protein foods, such as meats, increase the acidity of the
urine (lower the pH) because of the formation of phosphates and sulfates. The acidity of the urine is
also increased during acidosis and with fever. Conversely, the urine may tend to become alkaline on a diet
high in vegetables and fruits or because of alkalosis, a condition that may be produced by excessive
vomiting.
 BIOCHEM LAB

URINALYSIS REVIEWER

COLOR
Normal urine is pale yellow or amber. The color, however, varies with the amount of urine produced and
also with the concentration of solutes in the urine. The larger volume of urine of urine excreted, the
ligther the color. The greater the concentration of solutes, the darker the color. The color of urine is
caused by urobilin and urobilinogen.
Freshly voided urine is clear and usually contains no sediment. However, when it stands for a while it
may become cloudy and develop sediment because of the precipitation of calcium and phosphate.

ODOR
Fresh urine has a distinctive odor, but this odor may be modified by the presence of other substances.
Diet can also modify the odor of urine.

Data and Result:

URINE - ultra filtrate of blood * same composition of plasma without CHON"
Mainly H20. 99% H20
3 % solids (UREA),
salts. ions (Na+, K+, Ct)

KIDNEY - main organ of excretion. Made up of nephron (functional unit of the Kidney )

REACTIONS: 1. Excretion of waste products of metabolism /include toxic waste

. 2. Maintain H2O balance (acid -base)
. 3. Detoxification of the body

General Characteristics:
COLOR NORMAL ABNORMAL

a. Straw to amber urochrome red - Hb

Mobella black - malaria
Urinetyron

b. Urea heat
upon long strand pungent urea NH3 urinod
urea
(aromatic odor)
Sweet smell ( ICE, VAL, IEU ) =
Offensive odor = bacterial infection

c. Transparency (clear) cause of turbitidy

Crystal ppt. / WBC / sq.cells /bacteria / RBC

d. Reaction 4.5 to 8.0 does not reach > 9.0. (specimen is improperly preserved)
ABN. Acidosis of renal tubal = 6.5 or up

e. Specific gravity determine Urine concentrating ability

1.015to 1.025 not greater than 1.032
 BIOCHEM LAB

URINALYSIS REVIEWER

Urinometer = large urine refract /TS meter

Temperature sustain (24° C) Light refraction
Affected by CHON / glucose affects by CHON / CHO
G2/100 ml; (add or subtract 0.003/ 0.002)

glucose CHON 1.010 failure of kidney to excrete

CHEMICAL EXAMINATION

GLUCOSE RESULT

Reducing Test (+) reducing sugar ———> brick red precipitate

1. FEHLING’S (glucose, pentose, fructose)
2. BENEDICT’S used to test for sugar in urine (galactose,
3. NYLANDER’S lactose) Sign in pregnancy

Sp. = (+) glucose = DM (diabetes mellitus)

(+) presence of white zone
(-) = oxidase

ALBUMIN RESULT

CHON = proteins = proteinuria

N = nitrogen = can proteinuria (aesthetic, CHF)
1. HEAT HAc ——— SSA ——— color ppt. = precipitate by acid —— can detect albumin
2. Heller’s Test (concentrated nitric acid) (+) presence of white zone
3. Exton’s Test (Na2SO4 & sulfosalicylic acid (Sulfosalicylic Acid Test)
Turbidity or precipitate denotes the presence
of albumin
 BIOCHEM LAB

URINALYSIS REVIEWER

Test Albumin
The kidney in the filtering process retains large protein molecules so that presence of an excessive amount
of the protein in the urine may indicate a disorder In the filtering mechanism.

Test for Urea

Urea is the main end product of protein metabolism in man and other animals. The ammonia released from
the de amination of amino acids is removed through the urea cycle which occurs in the liver. The urea
formed is then carried by blood to kidneys where it is excreted.

Test for Uric Acid

Uric acid is the final product of purine oxidation in the body. It is derived from the degradation of
nucleoproteins in food and of body cells.

Test for Creatinine

Urine creatinine comes from creatine of the muscles. An abnormal concentration of urine creatinine is
related to. muscle wasting diseases.
The test for creatinine depends upon the reaction of creatinine with picric acid forming an
orange compound.