Heme Catabolism to Urobilin and Stercobilin

The video explores the catabolic pathway of heme, focusing on its breakdown and excretion. It begins with an overview of heme's role in various enzymes and its inefficient catabolism. The process involves heme oxygenase converting heme to biliverdin, which is then reduced to bilirubin. Bilirubin is transported to the liver, where it undergoes glucuronidation before being excreted into the intestines. Bacterial metabolism in the gut further transforms bilirubin into compounds like urobilinogen and stercobilin, affecting urine and feces color. The video also discusses how bruise color changes can indicate the progression of heme breakdown.

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