Abstract
The property of molecular association of urine polyelectrolytes (UPE) consisting of proteins and peptides isolated from the urine of lambs fed on calculus- and non-calculus-provoking rations has been investigated. The UPE showed a variation in degree of association according to the ration and the ionic media in which they were dissolved. There was a greater degree of association in: (1) the UPE in the presence of calcium than magnesium ions, (2) the UPE of the calculus-provoking than the non-calculus-provoking rations, and (3) the UPE of the small molecular weight fraction (less than 5000) than the larger molecular weight fraction (greater than 5000). The UPE seemed to be in more dissociated forms in the presence of NaCl, KCl, and Na 2HPO 4. Dimethyl sulfoxide, which is effective in reducing the incidence of urolithiasis, appeared to be able either to prevent the further association of UPE molecules or to keep the associated molecules in solution. The results of this study showed that the highly associated urine polyelectrolytes, proteins as well as peptides, had apparently contributed to the cause of urinary calculus formation by serving as the calculus matrix.
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