Why does proteinuria make urine foamy?

[Knicks]

Why?

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[Isoprop]

My guess? The protein in the urine is probably albumin, which is amphipathic (it has to be to carry lipids, right?). This acts as a surfactant and disrupts the surface tension of the urine causing it to foam more easily when it hits the toilet/cup/whatever.

But I could be totally wrong.

Edit: the physics of bubbles and surfactants http://www.bubbleology.com/Hydrodynamics.html#Surfactant

Edit2: Here's a pubmed link to an article which may explain it. I'm off-campus and too lazy to sign in to read it. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10752713

 

[Kadava Reviva]

My guess? The protein in the urine is probably albumin, which is amphipathic (it has to be to carry lipids, right?). This acts as a surfactant and disrupts the surface tension of the urine causing it to foam more easily when it hits the toilet/cup/whatever.

But I could be totally wrong.

Edit: the physics of bubbles and surfactants http://www.bubbleology.com/Hydrodynamics.html#Surfactant

Edit2: Here's a pubmed link to an article which may explain it. I'm off-campus and too lazy to sign in to read it. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10752713

Pretty good!
Layman's version: For the same reason soap make water foam. Who the hell remembers physiology after med school?