The purpose of this study was to find whether the synthesis and degradation of N-acetylglutamate would affect urea synthesis when the dietary protein quality was manipulated. Experiments were done on three groups of rats given diets containing 10 g gluten, 10 g casein or 10 g whole egg protein/100 g for 10 d. The urinary excretion of urea, the liver concentrations of N-acetylglutamate and free glutamate, the liver activity of N-acetylglutamate synthetase increased with the decline in quality of dietary protein. A reverse correlation was observed between the liver N-acetylglutamate degradation and liver Nacetylglutamate concentration. N-Acetylglutamate concentration in the liver was closely correlated with the concentration of glutamate and the N-acetylglutamate synthetase activity in the liver, and excretion of urea. These results suggest that the greater synthesis and the lower degradation rate of N-acetylglutamate in the liver of rats given the lower quality of protein increase the liver concentration of N-acetylglutamate and stimulate urea synthesis.