BIOSYSTEMS MAINTENANCE – BIO242

THE KIDNEY,
EXCRETION AND
OSMOREGULATION
TO KNOW

 Important to differentiate between

Excretion, Secretion, and Egestion

EXCRETION & OSMOREGULATION
 EXCRETION- is the process of removing metabolic wastes

 EXCRETION -  maintains homeostasis by regulating the

chemistry of body fluids and maintaining body temperature.

 EGESTION (DEFECATION) – is the removal of undigested

food from the gut and is not regarded as excretion because

the material taken into the gut through the mouth is not

made by the body itself.

EXCRETION & OSMOREGULATION

 SECRETION – usually involves the

release of useful substances such as

hormones from cells.

 A few waste products are secreted into

the kidney tubules during excretion.

CAN ANYONE

NAME THE EXCRETORY

STRUCTURES IN
ORGANISMS
EXCRETORY STRUCTURES

As an organism increase in complexity,

excretory organs develop to remove

excretory products from the body and

pass them to the external environment

EXCRETORY STRUCTURES
 Cell surface membrane
 Malpighian tubules AND Trachea
 Kidney
 Liver – formation of urea from excess
amino acids
 Lungs – only excretory organ for carbon
dioxide
 Skin – responsible for heat loss, water,
urea & salts
STUDENTS

What are the common

Excretory Products?
EXCRETORY PRODUCTS

 NITROGENOUS COMPOUNDS

 OXYGEN

 CARBON DIOXIDE

 BILE PIGMENTS
OSMOREGULATION
Is the maintenance of constant osmotic
conditions in the body. It involves
regulation of the water content and solute
concentration of body fluids, particularly of
sodium, potassium and chloride ions.
(chapter 20 – pg 672)
EXCRETION & OSMOREGULATION

The metabolic activities of living

organisms result in the production of

waste materials
 FUNCTIONAL SYSTEMS
food, water intake oxygen intake Based on: Starr, C., Biology:
Concepts and Applications,
Brooks/Cole

elimination
Digestive System Respiratory System of carbon
dioxide
nutrients, oxygen
water, carbon
salts dioxide

Circulatory System
Urinary System
water
solutes

elimination rapid transport elimination of

of food to and from all excess water
residues living cells salts, wastes
 WHY DO WE NEED

AN EXCRETORY
SYSTEM
SIGNIFICANCE
 Removal of unwanted by-products of
metabolic pathways -
 Removal of toxic wastes
 Regulation of ionic concentration of
body fluids
 Regulation of water content of body
fluids
 Regulation of pH
THE KIDNEY, EXCRETION AND
OSMOREGULATION
5.1 NITROGENOUS
WASTE AND THE
FORMATION OF UREA
 STUDENTS

WHERE DO THE
NITROGENOUS WASTE
COME FROM?
HOW DO WE GET RID OF IT?
UREA FORMATION
 DEAMINATION
 DETOXIFICATION
NITROGENOUS WASTE
Nitrogenous wastes products – produced by the
breakdown of proteins, nucleic acids and excess
amino acids.

The first products of the breakdown of excess amino

acids is ammonia (deamination)

nitrogenous wastes vary from the extremely toxic

ammonia to less toxic urea and the non-toxic uric
acid.
When protein is broken down in the
body, it results in nitrogenous waste
that must be eliminated from the
body
 Protein

Based on: Mader, S., Inquiry Into Life, McGraw-Hill

 Examples of
Amino Acids

Based on: Mader, S., Inquiry Into Life, McGraw-Hill

All 20 amino acids have a nitrogen group (NH2).

When broken down for energy, the nitrogen group
is converted to ammonia (NH3).
 Circulatory
System
Ammonia is converted into urea by
the liver. Urea is then transported in
the blood to the kidneys where the
urea is removed from the blood.

Based on: Mader, S., Inquiry Into Life

Urea is less toxic than ammonia and can be
transported in the blood to the kidney

O
H2N - C - NH2
urea
FORMATION OF URINE
Amino acids in protein are broken down,
resulting in production of ammonia

Ammonia is converted to urea in liver

Urea travels in blood to kidneys, where

removed from blood and incorporated
into urine
FORMATION OF URINE
 INVOLVES 3 KEY PROCESSES

1. Ultrafiltration

2. Selective absorption

3. Secretion
THE MAJOR EXCRETORY AND OSMOREGULATORY
ORGAN

THE KIDNEY
FUNCTIONS
 Removal of metabolic waste
 Regulation of water content of body
fluids
 Regulation of pH of body fluids
 Regulation of chemical composition
IMPORTANT TO KNOW THE LOCATION AND ALSO

NAME THE
STRUCTURES OF THE
KIDNEY
THE KIDNEY
 The kidneys are located within the muscular wall of
the middle back (just below the ribcage).
 The kidney receives blood from the aorta via the renal
arteries
 The renal veins returns blood to the posterior vena
cava
 The kidneys are the site of urine formation.
 The urine formed in the two kidney then travels down
the two ureters towards the urinary bladder where it
is stored.
 Urine exits the body by way of the single urethra.
 Anatomy of
the Kidney

Based on: Mader, S., Inquiry Into Life, McGraw-Hill

Structures of the Kidney
 Shows distinctly the cortex and medulla
 Cortex – covered by fibrous connective tissue
(capsule)
 Cortex contains the glomeruli, renal corpuscles,
and part of the nephron
 Medulla – contains tubular parts of the nephron
and blood vessels, which together form the renal
pyramids
 Pappilla – is the apex of each pyramid
 All pyramids projects into the pelvis which leads
into the ureter
 Urinary System

Based on: Mader, S., Inquiry Into Life, McGraw-Hill

NEPHRONS
 Two types
 Cortical – short loops of Henle which just extends into the medullary
 Deals with control of blood volume (under normal conditions of
water availability)
 Juxtamedullary – have their renal corpuscles close to the junction of
the cortex and medulla
 Have long loops of Henle
 When water is short increase water retention occurs in the
juxtamedullary nephron
 FUNCTION &

STRUCTURES OF THE
NEPHRON
Each KIDNEY consists of 1 million NEPHRONS
Each nephron consists of a:
GLOMERULUS (found in cortex)
forms a protein-free filtrate from blood
TUBULE (found in medulla)
processes the filtrate to form urine

Each TUBULE consists of several segments:

Proximal tubule
Loop of Henle
Distal Tubule
Collecting Ducts.
RENAL CORPUSCLES
 GLOMERULUS
 RENAL CAPSULE (PODOCYTES –
CELLS WHICH ARE MODIFIED FOR
FILTRATION) – 20% OF PLASMA IS
FILTERED INTO THE CAPSULE
 AFFERENT ARTERIOLE (TO)
 EFFERENT ARTERIOLE (FROM)
 FIRST STEP OF URINE FORMATION -
ULTRAFILTRATION
GLOMERULUS
 Knot of capillaries, specially adapted for
filtration
 Diameter of the capillaries is far less than
that of the arterioles, so as the blood enters
the narrow capillaries pressure rises
 Water and small solutes are squeezed out
of the capillaries through the epithelium of
the renal capsule and into the interior of the
capsule
ULTRAFILTRATION
 Takes place through three layers
1. Endothelium of the blood capillary – very thin and perforated
with thousands of pores.
2. Basement membrane of the blood capillaries (main filtration
barrier) – red blood cells, platelets, and proteins are too large
to pass
3. Epithelium of the renal capsule (made up of podocytes and
filtration slits - foot like projection that are highly modified for
filtration)
 The filtered fluid in the capsule is called glomerular filtrate (GF)
 GF – has a chemical composition similar to blood plasma. It
contains glucose, amino acids, vitamins, ions, nitrogenous
waste, some hormones and water
FACTORS AFFECTING THE
GLOMERULAR FILTRATION RATE (GFR)

 Hydrostatic pressure of the blood and the pressure

of the glomerular filtrate
 Solute potential (flow from afferent to efferent
results in an increase in concentration of 20%)
 Filtration rate can be increased by raising blood
pressure
 Dilating (vasodilation) of the afferent arteriole –
reduces resistance to the flow of blood into the
glomerulus
 Increase resistance in the efferent arteriole by
vasoconstriction
REABSORPTION (PROXIMAL
CONVOLUTED TUBULE)
 Ultrafiltration 125cm3 per min
 180 dm3 per day
 1.5 dm3 of urine is produce a day
 124cm3 is reabsorbed
 80% of it is absorbed in the proximal
convoluted tubule
 Nephron selectively reabsorbs substances for
further use by the body
 Further waste substances maybe added by
secretion
 Urine Formation by Nephron
Blood pressure forces water, glucose, amino
acids and urea from capillaries into nephron

Glucose and amino acids are reabsorbed into

blood from nephron

Some water is reabsorbed into blood

Urine is urea and salt concentrated in water

 Nephron

Based on: Mader, S., Inquiry Into Life, McGraw-Hill

ANALYSIS OF FLUID IN THE
NEPHRON
 By using small pipettes we can remove
fluids from different parts of the nephron
and analyze its content to find out what
effect the different part of the nephron
have on the composition of fluid
 Use of Inulin (not to be confused with
Insulin) – Inulin fiber is a carbohydrate
belonging to a class of compounds
known as fructans. used as a tracer
ANALYSIS OF FLUID IN THE
NEPHRON
 It is injected to the blood, where it’s filtered
into the nephron
 So as water is reabsorbed the concentration
of Inulin increases in proportion to the
amount of water reabsorbed
 Because Inulin fiber is resistant to digestion
in the upper gastrointestinal tract it reaches
the large intestine essentially intact
 See page 686
OSMOREGULATION, ANTIDIURETIC
HORMONE (ADH) AND THE
FORMATION OF CONCENTRATED OR
DILUTED URINE
 The precise control of solute potential is
achieved by the effect of ADH
 Diuresis – production of large amt of
urine
 Antidiuretics is the opposite
 So it has the effects of making urine
more concentrated
 Aka Vasopressin
ADH
 When blood is concentrated ( little water
has been drunk, excessive sweating or
large amt of salt has been eaten.
 This is detected by osmoreceptors in the
hypothalamus (thirst center)
 Impulses is passed to the pituitary gland
where ADH is released
 Travels in the blood to the kidney
ADH
 It increases permeability of the distal
convoluted tubules and collecting duct to
water
 By increasing the number of water
channels,
 Also increases permeability to urea in the
collecting duct
 As a result this creates an osmotic
concentration that allows greater
reabsorption from the thin descending limb
The Effects of ADH on the DCT and Collecting Ducts

Figure 26.15a,
b
ADH
 Opposite occurs when there is a high
water intake
 ADH is inhibited
 Walls of the distal convoluted tubule and
collecting duct becomes impermeable to
water
 As a result less water is reabsorbed and
a large volume of diluted urine is
excreted
ADH
 Failure to release sufficient ADH leads
to Diabetes insipidus
(large quantities of water is produced)
The fluid lost in urine has to be replaced
by excessive drinking
Alcohol consumption suppresses the
production of ADH by the pituitary.
Why would this result in dehydration
and a hangover?
Clinical significance of the presence of
proteins in urine
 During the process of kidney filtration,
blood passes through the kidneys and
works to filter out products that are
considered to be waste.
 During this process, it will allow protein
and other nutrients to remain in the body. If
these proteins overflow from the blood into
the urine, it could indicate that the parts of
the kidneys known as the "Glomeruli" are
damaged.
Clinical significance of the presence of
proteins in urine
 This is actually considered to be a
warning sign of a serious medical
condition known as chronic kidney
disease or CKD. This particular condition
may occur when a person suffers from
high blood pressure, inflammation to one
or both kidneys, or even diabetes. Many
medical professionals refer to chronic
kidney disease as renal disease.
Clinical significance of the presence of
proteins in urine
 The protein urine test measures the amount
of albumin (water soluble proteins) in the urine.
Normally, there will not be detectable quantities.
 When urine protein is elevated, you have a
condition called proteinuria; this can be an early
sign of kidney disease.
 Albumin is smaller than most other proteins and
is typically the first protein that is seen in the
urine when kidney dysfunction begins to
develop.
Clinical significance of the presence of
glucose in urine
Glycosuria,
also known as glucosuria, is the
presence of simple sugar or glucose in the urine.
Blood glucose is normally filtered by
the glomerulus and reabsorbed in the proximal
tubules of the kidneys.
Onlya very small amount of glucose is usually
excreted in the urine, approximately .01% or less,
which is not detected by most tests.
Clinical significance of the presence of
glucose in urine
 There are many possible causes
of glycosuria; one common cause
is diabetes mellitus.
 Diabetes mellitus is a condition
characterized by high sugar levels in the
blood, also called hyperglycemia.
Individuals suspected of having diabetes
mellitus often have their urine tested
for glycosuria.
TOMORROW’S TEST
 Uses of Inulin
 Peritubular capillary/ vasa recta
 DCT
 PCT
 Loop of Henle
 Substances absorbed by each structure
 Mode of transport within the nephron for
named substances
 Clinical significance of the presence of protein
and glucose in the urine.