LEARNING MODULE 8

Lesson 8: EXCRETORY SYSTEM

OVERVIEW

Organs that expel metabolic wastes and toxins from the body make up the excretory
system. This requires the removal of urea from the bloodstream as well as all waste
products produced by the body in humans. The bladder excretes urea, and the large
intestine expels solid wastes.

LESSON OBJECTIVES

At the end of this lesson, the students should be able to:

• Understand the mechanism of excretory system

• Know the importance and functions of excretory system.

DISCUSSION: Let’s get to the lesson!

 Kidney – the main organ of excretion; the kidney are commonly described as
excretory organs, but actually, they are organs which primarily regulates volume
and composition of the internal fluid environment. Their excretory function is
incidental to their regulatory function. Each kidney is compost of over a million units
of nephrons
 The structure of the kidney:
o Paired bean-shape organ against the rear wall of the abdomen, on other
side of the spine.
o Supplied with blood by renal artery, branches on the pelvis, pass between
calyxes and penetrate parenchyma.
o Outermost layer of the kidney is the cortex
o Beneath the cortex lies the medulla, an area that contains between 8 and
18 cone-shape sections known as pyramids, which are formed almost
entirely of bundles or microscopic tubules.
o The center of the kidney is a cavity called the renal pelvis
o Approximately one million nephrons compose each bean-shaped kidney.
 A nephron consists of several parts:
o Glomerulus – the filtration unit of the nephron that regulates the
concentration within the body of important substances, and removes
substances not needed by the body such as drugs and food additives.
o Bowman’s capsule and glomerulus are collected as renal corpuscle or
malphigian

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Compiled by: M.OPEÑA, MSc 2021
 o Proximal tubules – is joined to Bowman’s capsule by a short connecting
segment.
o Loop of Henle (descending limb and ascending limb) – becomes extremely
narrow, extending down away from Bowman’s capsule and then back up
again in a U shape.
o Distal convoluted tubule
o Collecting ducts
 The renal pelvis drain into the ureter and the latter enters the urinary bladder.
 Urine Production
o Begins with the process of filtration that goes on at renal corpuscles or
nephron
o Glomerular filtration = as blood courses through the glomeruli, much of its
fluid, containing both useful chemicals and dissolved waste materials,
soaks out of the blood through the membranes (by osmosis and diffusion)
where it is filtered and then flows into the Bowman’s capsule
o Urea is formed in the body to eliminate the very toxic ammonia formed in
the liver
o The total glomerular filtration rate of both kidney is 125ml/min
 125 ml/min x 60 min/hr = 7.5L
 7.5L/hr x 24hrs/day = 180L.day
 Reabsorption – the movement out of the renal tubules back into the blood
capillaries (peritubular capillaries)
o Reabsorption starts at the proximal convoluted tubules and continuous in
the loop of Henle, distal convoluted tubules, and collecting tubules
o Descending loop of Henle = permeable to water
o Ascending loop of Henle = salts are extruded
o In water diuresis, blood ADH is low, the epithelium of the distal tubules and
collecting ducts are impermeable to water.
 Secretion – is the process by which substances move into the distal and collecting
tubules from blood in the capillaries around these tubules. In short, secretion is the
reverse of absorption.
o Re-absorption moves substances out of the tubules and into the blood
o Secretion moves substances out of the blood and into the tubules where
they mix with the water and other wastes and are converted into urine.

Reference:

Rosario E. L et al (2017). Excretory System. Aggie Board Review.

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Compiled by: M.OPEÑA, MSc 2021