Excretory (Urinary System):

Parts of the Urinary System:

Kidney: Filtration system
Uretes: Tubes that conduct urine from the kidneys to the
bladder
Bladder: Hollow muscular organ for storing urine
Two molecules of ammonia and carbon dioxide are
Urethra: Tube that carries urine from the bladder to the
combined to form urea (less toxic). Uric acid is formed by
outside of the body
the breakdown of nucleic acids. Urea and uric acid need to
be removed.
What type of
- Removing nitrogen waste= removing urea
muscle
controls the
Kidney Parts:
flow of
Renal Artery:
urine?
Brings blood to
Sphincter
kidney from
muscle
aorta
Renal Vein:
Taking blood
away from
kidney
Cortex: Outer
layer of
connective
tissue
Medulla: Central
collecting region
of the kidney.
Renal Pelvis:
Joins kidney to
ureter

Kidney’s General Information:

Main functions include regulating the blood, electrolyte
concentrations, and eliminating waste. Designed to filter
the blood to a filtrate, which contains both toxins and
useful products. Toxins will continue through the kidney
until they are excreted from the body. Useful products
(glucose, Na+, and Cl-) can be reabsorbed or excreted as
needed. What are the functional units of the kidneys called?
Role of Liver: Nephron: Slender tubules that are the functional unit of
Proteins contain nitrogen and the kidney.
the body needs to remove it if it
is not being used. Liver removes
the amino groups (nitrogen and
hydrogen) via deamination
producing ammonia (highly
toxic).
 Nephron:
Blood brought into the
kidney flows in afferent
arteriole to the glomerulus
(capillary network), which is Filtrate flows into the proximal convoluted tubule which
responsible for transporting leads to the Loop of Henle (in the medulla) and through
filtrate into the medulla. the distal tubule ending in the collecting duct.
Unfiltered blood goes out of Every nephron is designed the same, so many nephrons
the glomerulus via the empty into the collecting ducts, which merge to form the
efferent arteriole. This renal pelvis and join the ureter.
vessel then surrounds the
tubules of the nephron to
permit reabsorption.

Factoid: Each kidney has about 1 million nephrons, which

means 1 million glomeruli.

The filtrate is
filtered into
the
Bowman's
Capsule,
which is
located in the
cortex of the
kidney.

After the glomerulus and Bowman’s capsule there are 4

tubes you need to know in order to understand how the
nephron functions… here they are.
As the filtrate flows through the nephron, water, nutrients,
and minerals are reabsorbed as needed.

Identify the kidney

The glomerulus filters out water, nitrogenous wastes,

NaCl, glucose, amino acids and hydrogen ions.

Pg.95-96:
Identify areas of the excretory system
Three Factors Involved In Urine Formation:
1. Filtration:
Movement of fluid from the blood to Bowman’s capsule.
Each nephron has its own blood supply ending in the
glomerulus. This area is under high pressure, resulting in
the movement from the blood into the capsule.
Plasma proteins, RBC, platelets are too large to be filtered,
however smaller particles flow freely. Similar to a strainer
when draining spaghetti.
2. Reabsorption:
Takes place once the filtrate has entered the nephron.
Occurs in different areas, resulting in different
concentrations of urine in different areas of the nephron.
1. Active Transport: Requires energy from
mitochondria. Ex: Na+ and glucose use carrier
molecules.
2. Passive Transport: No energy required Cl- flow
with Na+ due to charge attraction.
Reabsorption continues until the threshold is reached.
Threshold is the optimum quantity of an item within the
body, and extra is just that and excreted.
When materials are reabsorbed, water is drawn out and
reabsorbed due to osmosis.
 - Picture is misleading
3. Secretion:
Materials added to urine: Nitrogen wastes, histamines,
hydrogen ions and other minerals. Mitochondria are
present (lining the distal tumult) as energy is required to
secrete from the blood into the nephron.
Pg.97-98:
What hormone regulates water balance in blood?
Antidiuretic Hormone: ADH regulates the osmotic
pressure of body fluids by acting on the kidneys to
increase water reabsorption. When ADH is released by the
pituitary gland, concentrated urine is produced due to
water reabsorption
Osmoreceptors in the hypothalamus detect osmotic
changes (increase water loss = concentrated solutes in the
blood).
Water diffuses into the bloodstream from the
hypothalamus causing the cells to shrink = release of ADH
and the sensation of thirst.
ADH makes the upper part of the distal tubule and
collecting duct more permeable to water.
Alcohol consumption decreases the release of ADH, so
you urinate more water out.
Do kidneys play a role in blood pressure? Yes by
adjusting blood volume.
 Diabetes:
1. Diabetes Mellitus: caused by an inadequate
secretion of insulin resulting in high blood sugar
levels. The proximal tubule can only absorb a 0.1%
blood sugar level due to ATP supplies. Excess sugar
remains in the nephron and is excreted with a lot of
water.
2. Diabetes Insipidus: Caused by the destruction of
ADH-producing cells of the hypothalamus or nerve
cells that bring ADH to the pituitary gland. Urine
output increases dramatically. Person had a strong
thirst response.
3. Bright’s Disease (Nephritis): Diseases characterized
by inflammation of the nephron. One type destroys the
capillaries of the glomerulus resulting in large
molecules being able to pass through. Results in an
osmotic pressure that draws water into the nephron.
- Extra holes, larger molecules like protein in the urine

4. Kidney
Aldosterone: Stones:
A hormone produced in the adrenal cortex that acts on Precipitation
the nephron to increase Na+ reabsorption. As NaCl of mineral
reabsorption increases so does water. solutes form
the blood.
What are the Cause pain
diseases related when lodged
to the kidneys? in urethra.
Diabetes mellitus - Salt in
is a lifelong urine
condition that - Preferred:
affects your body’s no surgery
ability to use
energy in food.
There are 3 types:
Type 1, type 2, and
gestational.
Normally, your
body breaks down
the sugars you eat
into glucose. But
the cells need
insulin, a hormone,
in your
bloodstream in
order to take in the
glucose. With
diabetes mellitus,
either your body
doesn’t make enough insulin, it can't use the insulin it does
produce, or a combination of both.
Since the cells can’t take in the glucose, it builds up in your
Dialysis: A dialysis machine is an artificial kidney
blood. High levels of blood glucose can damage the blood
designed to remove impurities from your blood.
vessels in your kidneys, heart, eyes, or nervous system.
That’s why it can eventually cause heart disease, stroke,
Pg.99-104:
kidney disease, blindness, and nerve damage to the feet.