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uric acid
A white crystalline compound, C5H4N4O3. Uric acid is the end product of purine breakdown in most mammals, birds, terrestrial reptiles, and insects and also (except in mammals; see urea) the major form in which metabolic nitrogen is excreted. Being fairly insoluble, uric acid can be expelled in solid form, which conserves water in arid environments. The buildup of uric acid in the synovial fluid of joints causes gout.
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