Which porphyrin is excreted primarily in feces?

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Multiple Choice

Which porphyrin is excreted primarily in feces?

Explanation:
The key idea is how porphyrins are cleared from the body and which forms are channeled into bile versus urine. Coproporphyrin is the porphyrin that is excreted into bile and then into the intestine, so it appears mainly in feces. Uroporphyrin, being more water-soluble, tends to be eliminated in urine rather than in stool. Protoporphyrin IX is a later intermediate in heme synthesis and is not the primary porphyrin excreted in feces. Therefore, the porphyrin predominantly excreted in feces is coproporphyrin.

The key idea is how porphyrins are cleared from the body and which forms are channeled into bile versus urine. Coproporphyrin is the porphyrin that is excreted into bile and then into the intestine, so it appears mainly in feces. Uroporphyrin, being more water-soluble, tends to be eliminated in urine rather than in stool. Protoporphyrin IX is a later intermediate in heme synthesis and is not the primary porphyrin excreted in feces. Therefore, the porphyrin predominantly excreted in feces is coproporphyrin.

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