Form 5:4

INTEGRATED SCIENCE

TEACHER:Mrs.Harryram

TERM 1 2021-2022

TOPIC: EXCRETION

Chemical reactions occurring in living organisms constantly produce waste and harmful substances. The
body gets rids of these substances by a process known as excretion.

EXCRETION & EGESTION

 Excretion is the process by which waste and harmful substances from building up in the body
and damaging or killing cells.
 It helps to keep the environment within the body constant eg. by maintaining the concentration
of body fluids.

Egestion is the process by which undigested dietary fibre and other materials and other materials are
removed from the body as faeces.

Egestion must not be confused with excretion. The dietary fibre removed during egestion is not
produced in the body’s metabolism , so its removal cannot be classed as excretion.

Metabolic waste excreted by humans .

Humans produce several waste substances during metabolism.

The Human Kidneys

Humans have two kidneys which form part of the urinary system. The kidneys have two functions

 To excrete metabolic waste, mainly urea , from the body.

 To regulate the volume and concentration of blood plasma and body plasma and body fluids by
regulating the amount of water they contain, a process known as osmoregulation.

The kidneys and excretion in humans

Each kidney is divided into three outer regions : an outer region called the cortex , and inner region
called the medulla and a central hollow region called the pelvis .A renal artery carries blood to each
kidney and a renal vein carries blood away.
Each kidney is composed of thousands of kidney tubule or nephrons that produce urine. Each nephron
begins with a cup –shaped Bowman’s capsule in the cortex which surrounds an intertwined cluster of
capillaries called a glomerulus. After the Bowman’s capsule , each nephron is divided into three sections:

 The first convoluted (coiled) tubule in the cortex.

 The loop of Henle in the medulla.
 The second convoluted (coiled) tubule in the cortex.