Astrocytic Urea Cycle Detoxifies Aβ-Derived Ammonia While Impairing Memory in Alzheimer’s Disease

Investigators reported that normal astrocytes show non-cyclic urea metabolism, whereas beta-amyloid (Aβ)-treated astrocytes show switched-on urea cycle with upregulated enzymes and accumulated entering-metabolite aspartate, starting-substrate ammonia, end-product urea, and side-product putrescine.