QuantiChrom™ Urea Assay Kit II

• Fast and sensitive. Linear detection range (20 μL sample): 1 mg/mL (0.17 mM) to 100 mg/mL (17 mM) urea in 96-well plate assay.

• Convenient. The procedure involves adding a single working reagent, and reading the absorbance after 5 minutes. Room temperature assay. No 37°C heater is needed.

• High-throughput. Homogeneous "mix-incubate-measure" type assay. Can be readily automated as a high-throughput 96-well plate assay for thousands of samples per day. 

UREA, the major end product of protein catabolism in animals, is primarily produced in the liver and secreted by the kidneys. It is the primary vehicle for removal of toxic ammonia from the body. Urea determination is very useful for medical clinicians to assess kidney function of patients. In general, increased urea levels are associated with nephritis, renal ischemia, urinary tract obstruction, and certain extrarenal diseases (e.g. congestive heart failure, liver diseases, and diabetes). Decreased levels often indicate acute hepatic insufficiency, but may also result from over vigorous parenteral fluid therapy. 

BioAssay Systems' colorimetric urea (BUN) assay is based on urease catalyzed conversion of urea to ammonium and carbon dioxide. The pH of the reaction medium is monitored by a chromogen and the intensity of the reaction product at 557 nm is directly proportional to the urea concentration in the sample.