An Indiana University School of Medicine physician scientist is making strides in understanding the molecular origins of fatty liver disease, a leading cause of liver failure in the United States.

For example, ammonia, a by-product of protein digestion, needs to be converted into urea in the liver and eliminated via the kidneys. Accumulation of ammonia in the blood, called hyperammonaemia ...

Urea is produced in the liver when excess amino acids are broken down. Urea is the main waste product removed in the urine, as it is not reabsorbed in the kidney. Each kidney contains over one ...

Although a higher-than-normal ammonia level does not always mean a medical condition is present, it is commonly caused by liver disease, urea cycle disorders, and kidney failure. Treatment often ...