Excretory System

Function:
Excretory System

The excretory system eliminates

nonsolid wastes from the body.
 Nonsolid wastes are
eliminated through skin
lungs, skin, and kidneys. lungs

 Lungs exhale carbon

dioxide and water
vapor.
 Sweat glands in skin
kidneys

release excess water ureters

and salts. urethr

urinary bladder
a
Excretory System
 Theureters are tubes that carry
urine from the pelvis of the
kidneys to the urinary bladder.
skin

 Theurinary bladder temporarily lungs

stores urine until it is released from

the body.

 Theurethra is the tube that

carries urine from the urinary kidneys

bladder to the outside of the

body. ureters

urethra
urinary bladder
 Theouter end of the urethra is
controlled by a circular muscle
called a sphincter.
Excretory System

Function of the Kidney

 The principal function of the kidney is to
filter blood in order to remove cellular
waste products from the body.
 At any given time, 20 % of blood is in the
kidneys. Humans can function with one
kidney.
 If one ceases to work, the other increases
in size to handle the workload.
Excretory System

The kidneys help to maintain homeostasis by

filtering the blood. cortex

The kidneys are fist- medulla

sized, bean shaped

renal
structures. artery

– two layers: medulla

and cortex renal vein

– filtering units called

ureter
nephrons (to bladder)

– renal artery and

renal vein
Excretory System

The kidney can also excrete other waste

products, such as :

 1)urea a nitrogenous waste produced in the

liver from the breakdown of protein. It is the
main component of urine

 2)
uric acid usually produced from
breakdown of DNA or RNA

 3) creatinine waste product of muscle action.

Excretory System

Kidneys have three basic functions in

maintaining homeostasis.

–remove waste from blood

–help to maintain electrolyte, pH, and
fluid balances
–release key hormones
Excretory System Nephrons clean the
blood and produce
urine. from body
• Nephrons are the
filtering units in the
kidneys.
• They clean and
rebalance the blood
to body
to produce urine. to body
• There
approximately 1 loop of Henle from other
nephrons
million nephrons in
each kidney
Excretory System
• Nephrons clean the blood in a three-step process.
• The first step is filtration of the blood.

FILTRATION
• Glomerulus: Glomerulus 1

Network of Water, electrolytes,

capillaries amino acids,
glucose, urea, and
other small
• Bowman’s
molecules diffuse
Capsule:
out of the blood,
Encases the
creating the filtrate.
glomerulus

Bowman’s capsule

• The body’s entire volume of blood is filtered every 45 min

Excretory System

• The first step is filtration of the blood.

• The second step is reabsorption of materials.
from body 2 REABSORPTION

As the filtrate enters

the rest of the tubule,
most of the materials
are reabsorbed into
the blood. Materials
collecting not reabsorbed make
duct
to body up the urine, which
flows into the loop of
Henle.
from other
loop of Henle nephrons
Excretory System

• The first step is filtration of the blood.

• The second step is reabsorption of materials.
• The third step is excretion of materials.
from body

3 EXCRETION

In the loop of Henle,

water can be
collecting reabsorbed one final
duct time to reduce the
to body volume of urine. The
remaining urine flows
from other into a collecting duct
nephrons
loop of Henle that leads to the ureter.
Excretory System
Injury and disease can damage kidney
functions.
• A kidney transplant can replaced damaged kidney.
– recipient and donor tissue must match
– drugs prevent tissue rejection

The daughter and son in this photo donated a kidney and

liver tissue to their mother.
Excretory System

• Dialysis can be used to filter and clean the blood.

Excretory System

Disorders of the Excretory System

UTI (Urinary Tract Infection)
 Isa very common disorder. If the bladder has
become infected, it is known as cystitis. If the
urethra is infected., it is called urethritis.

 Symptoms include painful urination burning

sensation), frequent urination (even if no urine
present) and bloody or brown urine.

 This
can lead to chills, fever, nausea, vomiting
and upper abdomen tenderness.
Excretory System

 Ifleft untreated, all UTI’s can lead to

permanent kidney damage and possible
NOTE :
kidney failure.

 The general treatment is by antibiotics. A

person needs to maintain good personal
hygiene when eliminating wastes (liquid and
solid forms) from the body.

 Also, a person should drink lots of water.

Excretory System

Kidney Infections
 Resultwhen an infection reaches the
kidneys and become known as
pyelonephritis.

 Common causes can be infection from

elsewhere in the body or obstruction of the
prostate gland (usually in older men).

 Forchildren, infection can be caused by the

tube that drains urine from the kidneys and
the bladder.
Excretory System

Kidney Stones
• Crystals formed
from minerals in
urine.

• They can be found

in the kidney,
ureter or bladder.
 80% of those stricken are males.

 The most common crystals are:

 Calcium Oxalates
 Uric acid
Excretory System

 Symptoms include severe back or abdomen

pain, blood in the urine, nausea and
vomiting.

 Diagnosisinvolves a complete medical

examination, including X-rays.

 Treatment may vary from letting the stones

pass through the urinary tract to ultrasound
shock (or lithotripsy) to disintegrate the
stones to a small size that can be passed
through the urinary tract.
 Real large stones require surgery for removal.
Excretory System

Kidney Stones (cont)

 Ways to avoid kidney stones:
 Increase liquid intake (more
than 2l / day)

 Limit sodium intake

 Limit
animal protein (link
shown in men)

 Limit
foods high in oxalate
(spinach, strawberries, nuts,
dark chocolate, brewed tea)
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Answer the following

How is your excretory
 1.

system like the exhaust

system of a car?
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2. Why do you

suppose drinking
of water helps
kidneys do their
job?
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3. Describe the

advantages of
having two
kidneys as
compared to one.
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4. Would your

urine contain
more or less water
in a hot day?
Explain your
answer.
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5. When the soil is

dry and the weather
is very hot, how can
a plant reduce
water loss?