Urochrome

Definition

Urochrome is a pigment that gives urine its characteristic yellow color. It is a byproduct of the breakdown of hemoglobin, the oxygen-carrying protein in red blood cells.

Related terms

Hemoglobin:

A protein in red blood cells responsible for transporting oxygen throughout the body.

Bilirubin:

A yellow compound that occurs in the normal catabolic pathway that breaks down heme in vertebrates and is excreted in bile and urine; closely related to the production of urochrome.

Urinalysis:

A test conducted on a urine sample to measure various components, such as levels of urochrome, indicating different aspects of health or disease