Excretory System

Excretion
 EXCRETION – is the removal of metabolic wastes from the body.
 Metabolic wastes are the waste products of chemical
reactions in the cells.
 Not to be confused with elimination which is the removal of
substances which have never been in the cells, or part of
their metabolism
(Eg. Faeces)
Organs of Excretion
Lungs - Excretion of carbon
dioxide produced in cellular
respiration. Some water lost as
vapour.
Liver – processes certain materials
so they can be excreted.
Sweat glands – secretes sweat to skin,
contains water, salts, urea and lactic
acid (by-products of metabolism)
Organs of Excretion
Alimentary canal – excretes bile
pigments
Kidneys – primary excretion organs,
maintains constant concentration of
materials in body fluids, excretes
urea, uric acid and creatinine.
The Liver
Located in upper abdominal cavity.

Processes excess protein so that it

can be removed from the body.
If the body has a sufficient supply of
carbohydrates and lipids, or stored
lipids, then protein is not used for
energy.
Excess protein can not be stored in the
cells so it must be
removed.
The Liver
Proteins that we consume and proteins from other sources such as
worn-out cells are broken down into amino acids.
Some amino acids are used to make new proteins that are used as cell
structures, enzymes, antibodies and glandular secretions.
Other proteins are lost from the body in urine, skin, hair and
fingernails.
If all other energy sources have been used, the liver can
metabolise these large amounts of proteins.
The Liver
To metabolise proteins, the amino group (NH2) must be removed
from the amino acid with the aid of enzymes.
This converts the amino acid into ammonia (NH3)

This process is called DEAMINATION:

Amino acid + Oxygen Carbohydrate + Ammonia

The Liver
The remains of the amino acid which is mostly Carbon and Hydrogen
is converted into a Carbohydrate which is used to release energy, CO2
and water.
Ammonia is highly toxic so it is converted quickly into the less toxic
UREA which can be easily excreted in urine or in sweat.

Energy + Carbon Dioxide + Ammonia Urea + Water

The Liver
The liver also detoxifies alcohol and other drugs such as
antibiotics.
It deactivates hormones and converts them into a form
that can be excreted by the kidneys.
Haemoglobin from dead Red Blood cells is broken down in the liver
to produce bile pigments, which are passed out with faeces.
Urinary System
Kidneys – pair of reddish brown
organs located in the abdomen
roughly 11cm long. They regulate
blood composition.
Ureter – transports urine from
kidney to bladder.
Bladder – stores urine.

Urethra – discharges urine

from the body.
Kidney Structure
 Cortex - the outer layer
of the kidney, it
surrounds the whole
kidney and appears
reddish-brown

 Medulla - inside the

cortex and is slightly
darker in colour
Kidney Structure
 Renal pyramids -
striated, triangular
structures within the
medulla

 Renal papillae - tips of

the pyramid, project
towards the renal pelvis,
they are separated by the
columns of the cortex
Kidney Structure
 Major calyces - cup-
like extensions which
divide into minor calyces

 Renal pelvis - funnel-

shaped, expanded upper
end of the ureter, holds the
urine formed by the
kidneys
The Kidneys
The function of the kidneys is to expel wastes, especially
nitrogenous wastes such as urea from the body.
 They also regulate the body’s balance of fluid, salt and pH.
 They achieve these by filtering the blood as it passes
through the kidneys.
 Waste substances are removed by the processes of
filtration and tubular secretion.
 Useful substances are returned to the body by the process of
selective reabsorption.
How the Kidney works
The Kidneys
The functional unit of the kidneys is called the
NEPHRON, and is where urine is formed.
There are about 1.2million nephrons in each kidney
Each nephron consists of a:
Renal corpuscle
a Renal tubule
and is surrounded by a network of blood
capillaries.
 The Nephron
Common
Glomerulus collecting
duct
Corpuscle
Renal

Glomerular
capsule Distal
Proximal convoluted
convoluted tubule
tubule
Loop of
Henle
The Nephron
The Nephron starts with the RENAL CORPUSCLE, which is
made up of the glomerulus and the glomerular capsule (aka
Bowman’s capsule).
The GLOMERULUS is a knot of arteriole capillaries which is
formed from the AFFERENT ARTERIOLE and then recombine to
form the EFFERENT ARTERIOLE.
The GLOMERULAR CAPSULE is a double walled cup that
surrounds and almost encloses the glomerulus.
The Nephron
Leading away from the renal corpuscle is the RENAL TUBULE
which is about 5cm long.
This begins with the PROXIMAL CONVOLUTED TUBULE
which is highly convoluted section that leads away from the
glomerular capsule. (Proximal meaning close)
The tubule then turns into a straight hairpin like section called the
LOOP OF HENLE, with a DESCENDING LIMB heading
downwards and an ASCENDING LIMB heading back upwards.
The tubule then becomes convoluted again with the
DISTAL CONVOLUTED TUBULE. (distal meaning further
away)
The Nephron
 The distal convoluted tubules
of a few nephrons join to form
a COLLECTING DUCT
which open into a funnel
shaped structure called the
RENAL PELVIS, which holds
the urine until it is passed
through the Ureter.
 Nephrons start in the
cortex section of the
kidney and finish in the
medulla.
The Nephron
The kidney’s are supplied with blood from the RENAL
ARTERY which divides into smaller afferent arterioles.
The efferent arteriole that leaves the glomerular capsule then forms
the capillary network that surround the renal tubule.
 This network is known as the PERITUBULAR
CAPILLARIES

The capillaries recombine to venules which connect up to

the RENAL VEIN
Urine Formation
The formation of urine by the nephron involves three major
processes:
Glomerular filtration
Selective reabsorption
Tubular secretion
Glomerular filtration
Takes place in the renal corpuscle.
Materials are filtered out of the blood in the
glomerulus and collected in the glomerular capsule.
The fluid that is collected is called the FILTRATE
Glomerular filtration
The structure of the glomerulus is suited to its function of
filtration:
The efferent arteriole leaving the glomerulus is much
narrower compared to the afferent arteriole entering it.
This increases resistance to blood flow in the efferent
arteriole, which creates a high pressure in the capillaries
which forces water and undissolved blood components
through the capillary membranes into the capsule.
Glomerular filtration
Glomerular filtration
The structure of the glomerulus is suited to its function of
filtration:
The glomerular capsule directly surrounds the
glomerulus and the walls of both the capillaries and the
capsule are only one cell thick, which allows the filtrate
to pass efficiently into the capsule.
Blood is also continually flowing which maintains
the concentration gradient.
Glomerular filtration
Glomerular filtration
The filtrate will consist of all the components of blood, except
Red blood cells, White blood cells and Plasma proteins as they
are too large to pass through the membrane.
Therefore the filtrate will contain:
Water, Various Ions and Salts
Amino acids, Fatty acids, Glucose
Urea, Uric acid and Creatinine
Vitamins, Hormones and Toxins
Glomerular filtration
In normal adults the total filtrate produced by all the renal
corpuscles of both kidneys is about 125mL of filtrate per
minute. Which means about 180L per day.
Although this large amount is filtered only about 1%
leaves the body as urine.
Most of the filtrate is reabsorbed.
Glomerular filtration

Urea
Water,
Glucose
Amino acids
Vitamins
Salts (mainly
sodium &
chlorine)
Selective reabsorption
Many of the components of the filtrate are useful in the body
so excreting them would be undesirable.
Instead the body uses SELECTIVE REABSORPTION to
take back what it needs and can use.
This process occurs along the tubules of the nephron
and their surrounding peritubular capillaries.
Selective reabsorption
For reabsorption to take place there must be a large surface
area.
The large surface area is achieved by:
the long length of the renal tubule which is created by
the convolutions of the tubule and the loop of henle
the large number of nephrons in each kidney.
Selective reabsorption
The materials that are reabsorbed from the filtrate are:
Water
Glucose
Amino acids
Various ions such as sodium, potassium, calcium,
chloride and bicarbonate (that form the salts).
Urea is sometimes partially reabsorbed as well.
Selective reabsorption
 These materials are reabsorbed from various parts of the
tubule:
 Proximal convoluted tubule – water, glucose, amino acids,
vitamins and some salts are reabsorbed.
 When these solutes are removed, the glomerular filtrate
becomes dilute, so water is reabsorbed into the blood by
osmosis.
 Loop of Henle – Ions are reabsorbed to adjust and
maintain the pH of 7.3 – 7.4
 Distal convoluted tubule – further reabsorption of water and
salts takes place, depending on needs of the body.
Selective reabsorption
Reabsorption of water from the filtrate depends on the
requirements of the body (ie. dehydrated or hydrated).
The permeability of the membranes of the cells of the Distal
convoluted tubule and Collecting duct can be changed so that
more or less water can be reabsorbed.
 This process is under the hormonal control of Antidiuretic
Hormone (or ADH) which increases permeability of walls of
DCT and Collecting duct so that more water can be absorbed.
 The water is moved by active transport and is called
FACILTATIVE REABSORPTION.
Selective reabsorption

Water
Water, Glucose,
Amino acids, Various Ions
Vitamins, Salts (mainly sodium
(mainly sodium & chlorine)
& chlorine)

Urine
- Water
- Urea
- Salts
Tubular secretion
TUBULAR SECRETION adds materials to the filtrate from
the blood.
These materials can include:
Potassium and Hydrogen ions
Creatinine
Drugs such as penicillin
Movement of these materials can be either passive or active,
depending on the concentrations across the membrane.
Tubular Secretion
Through tubular secretion the body can remove any unwanted
materials.
It also has a role in the regulation of pH levels of the blood.
The body has an overall pH of 7.4-7.5
However our diet usually contains acid-
producing foods that lower pH
The tubules secrete hydrogen and ammonium ions (acidic
ions) into the filtrate which raises the pH of the blood.
The result is that urine is slightly acidic with a pH of 6.
Tubular Secretion

H+
NH4+ (ammonium)
Creatinine
Toxins
Drugs
Neuro
trans
mitter
Summary
Region of Nephron Activities taking place
Renal corpuscle Filtration of blood from capillaries of glomerulus
Formation of filtrate in glomerular capsule

PCT and LOH Reabsorption of Ions (Sodium, Potassium, Chloride

and Bicarbonate)
Reabsorption of glucose and amino acids
Passive reabsorption of water by osmosis

DCT Reabsorption of Na ions

Active reabsorption of water depending on the
body's water needs
Secretion of H and K ions, creatinine and
certain
drugs

Collecting tubule Active reabsorption of water depending on the body’s

water needs
Urine Formation
Collecting duct drains the filtrate from several nephrons and
passes it to the renal pelvis where it will pass down the ureter to
the bladder to be stored.
The main components of urine are Water, Urea, Uric
acid, Ions and Creatinine.
 Urine doesn’t normally contain proteins or glucose
 Uric acid – produced by metabolism of purines which
come from the breakdown of nucleic acids
 99% of the water that enters the nephron is
reabsorbed