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Cystine Crystals

Cystine crystals are not found in the urine of normal individuals. The presence of cystine crystals almost always indicates “cystinuria,” a disease affecting the metabolism of three of the 20 amino acids that make up proteins. A reabsorption problem of these three amino acids (arginine, lysine and ornithine) causes the overproduction of cystine, a very insoluble product that tends to form crystals in the urine and, more importantly, causes the repeated formation of cystine stones.

Term of the Week

Predictive medicine

Medicine that links medical knowledge with data to predict a patient’s potential health problems. Examples include artificial intelligence and genetics.