EXCRETORY PRODUCTS AND THEIR ELIMINATION

KITE VICTERS Plus One Zoology Class 36

(First Bell- ഫസ്റ്റ് ബെല്‍) 11/04/2020

For viewing the class click the link below

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2d_nDz8mXo4

Types of nephron
• Based on the length of Loop of Henle two types of nephrons are
there
1. Cortical nephrons
• In majority of nephrons, the loop of Henle is too short and extends
only very little into the medulla. Such nephrons are called cortical
nephrons.
2. Juxta medullary nephrons
• In some nephrons Loop of Henle is very long and runs deep into the
medulla .
• These nephrons are called Juxta medullary nephrons .
URINE FORMATION
• Urine is formed in the nephrons .
• It involves 3 steps
1. Glomerular filtration
2. Tubular reabsorption
3. Tubular secretion
Glomerular Filtration
• It occurs in the malpighian corpuscles.
• When blood flows under high pressure through the glomerular
capillaries , water and dissolved substances of blood filter out into
the lumen of the bowman’s capsule .
• The glomerular capillary blood pressure causes filtration of blood
through 3 layers –

• the endothelium of glomerular blood vessel ,

• the epithelium of bowman’s capsule and
• a basement membrane between these two layers.

• The epithelial cells of bowman’s capsule called podocytes are

arranged in an intricate manner so as to leave some minute spaces
called filtration slits or slit pores.

• This fluid is known as glomerular filtrate.

• The glomerular filtrate contains all the constituents of blood except
blood corpuscles and plasma proteins .
• It contains glucose , urea , creatinine , mineral salts etc. .
• Therefore it is known as ultra filtration.
• The volume of glomerular filtrate formed in bowman’s capsule per
unit time is called glomerular filtration rate (GFR).
• In man GFR rate is 125ml/ minute or about 180L/ day

2.Tubular reabsorption

• Out of 180L of glomerular filtrate formed , only 1.5 L of urine is

released .
• So 99% of the filtrate is reabsorbed .
• Proximal and distal convoluted tubules , the loop of henle and
collecting duct are involved in reabsorption.
• Sugar , vitamins , organic nutrients and water are reabsorbed.
 3.Tubular secretion

• It is the final step in urine formation and it involves the active

secretion of some substances from the blood into the filtrate.
• Proximal and distal convoluted tubules are the main parts of
tubular secretion.
• It helps in the maintenance of acid – base balance of the body.
FUNCTIONS OF THE TUBULES

1.Proximal Convoluted Tubules (PCT)

• PCT is lined by simple cuboidal brush border epithelium which
increases the surface area for reabsorption.
• Nearly all of the essential nutrients,
• 70-80 per cent of electrolytes and water are reabsorbed by this
segment.
• PCT also helps to maintain the pH and ionic balance of the body
fluids by selective secretion of hydrogen ions, ammonia and
–
potassium ions into the filtrate and by absorption of HCO3 from it.
2. Descending limb of loop of henle
• The descending limb of loop of Henle is permeable to water but
almost impermeable to electrolytes.
• This concentrates the filtrate as it moves down.
3. Ascending limb of loop of henle
• The ascending limb is impermeable to water but allows transport of
electrolytes actively or passively.
• Therefore, as the concentrated filtrate pass upward, it gets diluted
due to the passage of electrolytes to the medullary fluid.
4.Distal convoluted tubule

• Conditional reabsorption of Na+ and water takes place in this

segment.
–
• DCT is also capable of reabsorption of HCO3 and selective
secretion of hydrogen and potassium ions and NH3 to maintain the
pH and sodium-potassium balance in blood.
5. Collecting Duct
• This long duct extends from the cortex of the kidney to the inner
parts of the medulla.
• Large amounts of water could be reabsorbed from this region to
produce a concentrated urine.
• This segment allows passage of small amounts of urea into the
medullary interstitium to keep up the osmolarity.
• It also plays a role in the maintenance of pH and ionic balance of
+ +
blood by the selective secretion of H and K ions
 Prepared by
Biju TL, GTHSS Poomala, Idukki