This lesson will increase your knowledge of concepts

covered in the following TEKS for biology:

4.b – Investigate and identify cellular processes including homeostasis,
permeability, energy production, transportation of molecules, disposal of
wastes, function of cellular parts, and synthesis of new molecules
5.c – Sequence the level of organization in multicellular organisms to relate
the parts to each other and to the whole
9.a – Compare the structures and functions of different types of biomolecules
10.a – Interpret the functions of systems in organisms
10.b – Compare the interrelationships of organ systems to each other and to
the body as a whole
11.a – Identify and describe the relationships between internal feedback
mechanisms in the maintenance of homeostasis
11.b – Investigate and identify how organisms respond to external stimuli
 Previous Lesson

Diseases of the
Endocrine System
Question: Would a person
that is somewhat lethargic
and overweight be suffering
hyperthyroidism
(high thyroid production) or
hypothyroidism
(low thyroid production)?
Why?
 Hypothyroidism: Low Thyroxine
(inhibits hormone release) Pituitary

Thyroid Stimulating Hormone

Negative Feedback

Treatment:
Thyroid Synthetic thyroid
pills

Low Thyroxine

Low Metabolism and High Weight

Question: If a person is in an area
where a nuclear reactor has released
radioactive iodine, why would
authorities recommend they take
iodine pills?

From Harvard
Health Letter
 Nuclear Reactor Accident
Destruction of nuclear reactor

Release of radioactive iodine

Taking iodine in pills would

Uptake of radioactive iodine by thyroid
block uptake of radioactive
iodine by thyroid,
Radioactive thereby
iodine causes
preventing
mutations ofcancer
DNA in thyroid cells

Thyroid cancer
Question: Why does a person with
Type II diabetes have high blood
sugar, and why is this so
dangerous to a person’s health?
 Type II Diabetes
•Cells of body
become resistant
to the effects of
insulin
•Sugar cannot
enter cells
•Concentrations of
sugar in blood
Based on: Time, November 5, 1990 become too high
 Effects of
Uncontrolled
Diabetes and
High Blood
Sugar

Based on: Newsweek, September 4, 2000

 Today’s Lesson

Kidneys and the

Urinary System
 Major Parts of the Machine
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
 Overview of Lesson
• Formation of urine
• Urinary system
• Water balance and alcohol
• Problems of the urinary
tract
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
Overview of Lesson
• Amino acids, ammonia and
urea
• Urinary system
• Water balance and alcohol
• Problems of the urinary
tract
 Urinary System

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

 Anatomy of
the Kidney

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

 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

 Urine moves from the
collecting ducts through the
kidney pelvis to the ureter

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

Urine moves from the kidneys,
through the ureters to the bladder
and finally through the urethra

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

Overview of Lesson
• Amino acids, ammonia and
urea
• Urinary system
• Water balance and alcohol
• Problems of the urinary
tract
 Regulation of Water Balance
Brain monitors water content of blood

If low water content, pituitary releases ADH

ADH travels in blood to nephron

ADH causes more water to move from urine

back into blood
 Nephron

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

Alcohol consumption
suppresses the production of
ADH by the pituitary.
Why would this result in
dehydration and a hangover?
Overview of Lesson
• Amino acids, ammonia and
urea
• Urinary system
• Water balance and alcohol
• Problems of the urinary
tract
 Incontinence (urine leakage)
• More than 10 million Americans experience
incontinence

• Most do not seek treatment

• Treatment can improve or eliminate the

problem 90% of the time
 Causes of Incontinence

Stress incontinence: leaking small amounts

of urine when coughing, lifting, or exercising

Urge incontinence: the bladder suddenly and

unexpectedly contracts and expels urine

Overflow incontinence: bladder cannot

completely empty so urine dribbles
 Treatments for Incontinence
• Kegel exercises to strengthen the urinary sphincter
• Medicines that increase the sphincter’s ability to
contract
• Surgery to strengthen the pelvic muscles or to lift
the bladder
• Retrain the bladder to increase its storage capacity
(allowing 3-4 hours between urinating)
• Drugs to prevent urge incontinence
• Surgery to remove part of prostate gland if
responsible for overflow incontinence
Kidney stones form in the kidney
pelvis. There are 4 types of stones.

•Calcium stones
(most common)
•Uric acid stones
•Bacteria caused stones
•Cystein stones

Based on Mayo Clinic Health Letter

Kidney stones cause pain when
they pass down the ureters to the
bladder and urethra

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

 Treatments for Kidney Stones
• Small stones may pass with no pain
• Larger stones may pass but cause extreme of pain,
requiring a lot pain medication
• Stones that are too large to pass may require surgical
treatment including:
– using a ureteroscope to go up and snare the stone
– using a nephroscope to crush the stone and retrieve it
– using shock wave lithotripsy where a person is
submerged in water containing shock waves to
pulverize the stones
 Urinary Tract Infection (UTI)
• Second most common infection following respiratory
infections

• UTI occur when bacteria (E. coli) from the digestive tract get
into the opening of the urinary tract and multiply

• Bacteria first infect the urethra, then move to the bladder

and finally to the kidneys

• UTI tend to occur more in women than men

Women may have more UTIs than men because:
1) they have a shorter urethra, allowing quicker
access to the bladder
2) the urethral opening is nearer the anus
3) intercourse may result in UTIs in women

Based on: Harvard Medical School Family Health Guide

 Symptoms of UTIs
• Urge to urinate but only small
amount of urine produced
• Pain and burning sensation in
bladder
• Fever
• Blood in urine
 Diagnosis and Treatment

• Doctors check urine for white and red

blood cells and bacteria
• Bacteria grown in culture to
determine which antibiotic will work
the best
• UTIs are treated with antibiotics and
are often cured within 1 or 2 days
Kidney Disease and Ethnicity
• Kidney disease 26 million Americans

• African Americans five times likely to

require dialysis or kidney transplant
• Possible reasons
– Lack of health care
– Genetic component
– Diabetes
– Hypertension
 Next Class

Exam II
(Lessons and Labs)