Question

A construction worker entered the emergency room after an accident in which his leg was crushed by falling beams. A color of the urine sample is noticeably reddish brown. Assuming that color is related to the accident, what molecule could have been released from the damaged muscle cells that colored the urine? What is the function of this molecule?

Answer 1

The reddish-brown color of the urine is likely due to myoglobin, a molecule released from damaged muscle cells that binds oxygen and is filtered out by the kidneys after muscle injury.

Step-by-step explanation:

The reddish-brown color of the urine sample in the described situation is likely due to the presence of myoglobin, a molecule released from the damaged muscle cells following the accident. Myoglobin is a protein that binds oxygen in muscle cells, functioning similarly to hemoglobin in red blood cells. It stores oxygen and provides it to the muscles during periods of intense activity. When muscle tissue is damaged, myoglobin can be released into the bloodstream, and it is filtered out by the kidneys into the urine, causing the discoloration.