Lancet
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Lancet
1991
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Urea is accumulated as an osmolyte by some groups of animals even though it impairs protein function. These organisms can withstand high internal urea concentrations because they also accumulate other low-molecular-weight osmolytes, the methylamines, which can offset the effects of urea on proteins. ⋯ These findings suggest that previous investigations of the potential contribution of urea to the syndrome of uraemia may have been confounded because of the presence of variable concentrations of protective substances. That naturally occurring methylamines or related substances may prove to have a useful therapeutic role in uraemia is also possible.