What substance do hepatocytes metabolize nitrogenous waste into?

Hepatocytes, which are the primary cells of the liver, play a crucial role in the urea cycle. This is a biochemical pathway that converts ammonia, a toxic byproduct of amino acid metabolism, into urea, which is far less toxic and can be excreted safely in urine by the kidneys. The conversion of ammonia to urea is essential for the detoxification of nitrogenous waste in the body.

In the liver, ammonia is combined with bicarbonate and other substrates through a series of enzymatic reactions that ultimately result in the formation of urea. This process effectively lowers the levels of potentially harmful ammonia in the bloodstream. Consequently, the liver is key to maintaining nitrogen balance in the body through this conversion activity.

Overall, the answer highlights the liver’s role in converting nitrogenous waste into a form that can be safely eliminated, emphasizing the importance of urea as the end product of this metabolic pathway.