Porphobilinogen is a key intermediate in the biosynthesis of tetrapyrroles, including heme, chlorophyll, and vitamin B12. Its primary application lies in biochemical research, where it serves as a marker for studying heme synthesis pathways. Elevated levels of porphobilinogen in urine are clinically significant and used in the diagnosis of acute intermittent porphyria, a rare metabolic disorder. It is also used in laboratory settings to support the development and testing of diagnostic methods for porphyrias. Additionally, porphobilinogen is involved in studies related to enzyme function, particularly porphobilinogen deaminase, helping researchers understand metabolic regulation and genetic enzyme deficiencies.