During which step of the urea cycle is urea produced?

Urea is produced in the final step of the urea cycle, which is known as the hydrolysis of arginine. Specifically, this step involves the enzyme arginase, which catalyzes the conversion of arginine into urea and ornithine. This process is crucial because it facilitates the removal of excess nitrogen from the body, allowing it to be excreted in urine. By the time the cycle reaches this step, it has successfully processed ammonia and incorporated it into urea, which is significantly less toxic and can be safely excreted. Understanding that the urea cycle is essential for detoxifying ammonia also highlights the importance of its final step in maintaining nitrogen balance in organisms.