Stercobilinogen

Stercobilinogen is a metabolite of bilirubin, a yellow pigment that occurs in the liver and is excreted in the bile. Stercobilinogen is formed in the intestine by the action of bacteria on bilirubin. Some of the stercobilinogen is reabsorbed and excreted in the urine, giving it a dark yellow color. The rest is converted to stercobilin, which gives feces their brown color.

Metabolism

Stercobilinogen is part of the heme catabolic pathway. This pathway is responsible for the degradation of heme, a component of hemoglobin, to biliverdin, bilirubin, and eventually stercobilinogen and stercobilin. The process of heme degradation is important for the normal turnover of red blood cells.

Clinical significance

In certain diseases, the production or excretion of stercobilinogen can be disrupted. For example, in liver disease or biliary obstruction, the amount of stercobilinogen in the urine can be increased. This can be used as a diagnostic marker for these conditions. Conversely, in conditions such as hemolytic anemia, where there is increased breakdown of red blood cells, there can be increased production of stercobilinogen.

See also

• Bilirubin
• Heme
• Hemoglobin
• Liver disease
• Biliary obstruction
• Hemolytic anemia

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