Topic 6 - Excretory System 2021

TOPIC 6: EXCRETORY SYSTEM
A. Williams and R.Johansen 2021

WHAT IS EXCRETION?
 There are many chemical reactions taking place in the body that
produce by-products, some of which are able to be used by the
body, while others are wastes.
 Most wastes are toxic and would be harmful if allowed to
accumulate .
 Excretion: The removal of metabolic wastes from the body
 Removing wastes also allows the body to maintain equilibrium
within the body (this is called Homeostasis)
STRUCTURES OF EXCRETION
 Kidneys:
 Filter blood to maintain a constant concentration of materials
in the body fluids
 Excrete/remove nitrogenous wastes like urea, uric acid &
creatinine
 Liver: Deamination & synthesis of urea
 Lungs: Removal of CO2
 Skin: Sweat glands secrete sweat (contains salts, urea & lactic
acid)
 Alimentary canal: Passes out bile pigments
ORGANS OF EXCRETION
LIVER
ORGANS OF EXCRETION:
THE LIVER
FUNCTIONS OF THE LIVER
 Deamination
 Blood glucose regulation
 Fat conversion
 Bile formation
 Plasma protein production
 Production of blood-clotting factors
 Storage
 Toxin and hormone breakdown
 Heat production
FUNCTIONS OF THE LIVER
 Deamination: stripping of nitrogen from amino acids

and nitrogen bases (with aid of enzymes)
 Some of the amino acids absorbed during digestion are

taken in by cells and used to make proteins
 Excess amino acids cannot be stored, they are

converted in the liver into carbohydrates
DEAMINATION
 The conversion first involves the removal of the amino

group (-NH2) from the amino acid
 The amino group is converted to Ammonia (NH3)
 As ammonia is toxic to the body, so is quickly converted
to urea
 Urea is removed from the blood by the kidneys and
excreted as urine
PROCESS OF DEAMINATION
 Amino acid → ammonia + organic compounds

(used for respiration)
The amino
group
 Ammonia (very toxic) + CO2 → urea (H2NCONH2)

SUMMARY OF PROCESS: DEAMINATION
 Amino acid + oxygen carbohydrate + ammonia

enzymes
 Ammonia is highly toxic & therefore needs to be removed

quickly
 Energy + CO2 + ammonia urea + water
Refer to page 171 of your Human Perspectives text 

SKIN
ORGANS OF EXCRETION: SKIN
SKIN
 Protective covering over surface

of the body
 Regulate body temperature
 Excretion
 Sweat glands secrete 500mL of
water per day
 Sodium chloride, lactic acid &
urea are dissolved in the water
See diagram on page 171 of text. Make sure
you can label this!
KIDNEY
ORGANS OF EXCRETION: KIDNEYS
STRUCTURE OF THE KIDNEYS
 Structure suited to its

function of filtering the
blood
 Renal Cortex (outside)
and Renal Medulla
(inner).
NEPHRON
 Functional unit of the kidney,

where the urine is formed
 1.2 million nephrons in each
human kidney
 Surrounded by complex
network of blood capillaries:
maintain a constant
concentration of materials in
the body fluids & remove
wastes
STRUCTURE OF THE NEPHRON
STRUCTURES OF THE NEPHRON
Structure Function
Renal Corpuscle
• Glomerulus A knot of arterial capillaries
• Glomerular capsule Double walled cup that surrounds the glomerulus
Renal Tubule
• Proximal Convoluted Tubule Winding convoluted section leading away from the glomerulus
• Descending Limb Straight portion leading to Loop of Henle
• Loop of Henle Hairpin bend at bottom of nephron
• Ascending Limb Straight portion leading from Loop of Henle
• Distal Convoluted Tubule Winding convoluted section leading to the Collecting Duct
• Collecting Duct Several convoluted tubules from different nephrons join here. This opens
into a chamber called renal pelvis
Distal convolute Common
Glomerular capsule tubule (DCT) collecting duct
Proximal convolute
tubule
(PCT)
Loop of Henle
See diagrams on page 173/4 of Human Perspective text for more detail.
BLOOD SUPPLY
 Renal arteries: blood entering the kidneys through

these arteries
 Large arteries
 Together 2 kidneys receive about a quarter of blood
from left (oxygenated) side of the heart
 1.2 Litres of blood pass through 2 kidneys every minute
 After entering the kidneys, renal arteries divide into
small arteries and arterioles
BLOOD SUPPLY
 Afferent Arteriole: Each renal corpuscle is supplied by

this arteriole, which then forms the glomerulus
 Efferent Arteriole: Glomerular capillaries unite to form
this, which then passes out the renal corpuscle
 Peritubular Capillaries: After leaving the corpuscle,
efferent arteriole breaks into second capillary network.
These capillaries surround the nephron
 Venous blood drains away from this network and
leaves kidney via Renal Vein.
URINE FORMATION
Involves 3 major processes:

•Glomerular Filtration
•Selective Reabsorption
•Tubular Secretion
GLOMERULAR FILTRATION
 Process takes place in the renal corpuscle when fluid is

forced out of blood and collected in glomerular capsule
 High pressure in glomerulus forces substances into the
blood
 Pressure created by afferent arteriole having a wide
diameter than the efferent arteriole leaving the
glomerulus
 Narrowing of efferent arteriole increases resistance to
flow of blood and produces high pressure in glomerulus
Water
Glucose
Amino acids
Fatty Acids
Urea
Uric Acid
Creatanine
Hormones
Toxins
Salts
Ions
 20% plasma is filtered through capillary walls into

glomerular capsule
 Filtrate: consists of all materials present in blood
except red blood cells, white blood cells and plasma
proteins
 Normal adult: 125mL of filtrate per minute or 180
Litres per day
 Only about 1% of filtrate leaves body as urine, the rest
is reabsorbed as it’s travelling through the nephron
SELECTIVE REABSORPTION
 Selective reabsorption: Movement of substances from the

nephron back into the capillaries. Transport can be passive
or active.
 Many components of plasma filtered from capillaries of
glomerulus are of use to the body
 Carried out by cells that line the renal tubule
 Water, glucose and amino acids
 Ions- Sodium, potassium, calcium, chloride, bicarbonate
 Urea (waste product of deamination) – partially
reabsorbed
STRUCTURE OF TUBULES IMPROVES
REABSORPTION
 Long length of tubule = Large surface area (due to

convolutions)
 Proximal Convoluted Tubule (PCT), Distal Convoluted
Tubule (DCT) and Loop of Henle achieve this large
surface area
 Well supplied with blood vessels
 Many (millions) nephrons within each of the 2 kidneys
FACULTATIVE RESBSORPTION
 Facultative Reabsorption: Active reabsorption

under hormonal control.
 Hormones change permeability of nephron
depending on body’s water requirements
REABSORPTION
Water
Water, Glucose, Urine
Amino acids, Salts - Water
Vitamins, Salts (mainly - Urea
(mainly sodium & sodium & - Salts
chlorine) chlorine)
TUBULAR SECRETION
 Adds materials from blood to the filtrate (body wants

to get rid of these materials)
 Potassium & Hydrogen Ions, Creatinine, Drugs eg.
Penicillin
 Can be active or passive
 Controls pH of blood- blood pH is 7.4-7.5, our diet
usually lowers pH. To raise this pH of blood, tubules
secrete hydrogen and ammonium ions into filtrate
 Urine is slightly acidic, pH 6
TUBULAR SECRETIONS
H+
K+
NH4+ (ammonium)
Creatinine
Toxins
Drugs
SUMMARY OF KIDNEY
PROCESSES
SUMMARY OF KIDNEY PROCESSES
Region of nephron Activities taking place

Renal Corpuscle Filtration of blood from capillaries of glomerulus
Formation of filtrate in glomerular capsule
Proximal convoluted Reabsorption of sodium, potassium, chloride and
tubule and loop of Henle bicarbonate ions
Reabsorption of glucose
Passive reabsorption of water by diffusion
Distal convoluted tubule Active reabsorbtion of sodium ions
Active reabsorption of water depending on body’s water
needs
Secretion of hydrogen and potassium ions, creatinine and
certain drugs like penicillin
Collecting duct Active reabsorption of water, depending on body’s water
needs
ACTIVE + PASSIVE PROCESSES
HOW IS STRUCTURE OF KIDNEY
SUITED TO ITS FUNCTION
1. Glomerular capsule surrounds whole glomerulus to collect
fluid filtered out of blood capillaries
2. Afferent arteriole has larger diameter than Efferent
arteriole, raising blood pressure resulting in more fluid
being filtered out of blood into glomerular capsule
3. Each tubule has 2 sets of convolutions (PCT & DCT) and
long loop (loop of Henle), giving a large S.A. for
reabsorption & secretion
4. Each kidney has over 1 million nephrons so total S.A. area
is very large
FORMATION OF URINE
FORMATION OF URINE
 Water and other substances not reabsorbed drain into

the collecting duct and into renal pelvis
 From renal pelvis, urine drains into the ureters and is
pushed by muscular contractions to urinary bladder
where it is stored
 Bladder is a hollow muscular organ from which
urethra carries urine to exterior of body
URINE COMPOSITION
Chemical Component Filtrate Reabsorbed Urine

Substances
Water 180 L 178- 179 L 1-2 L
Sodium, chloride and other ions 1500g 1485g 15g
Proteins 2g 1.9g 0.1g
Glucose 180g 180g 0g
Urea 53g 28g 25g
Uric Acid 8.5g 7.5g 1g
Creatinine 1.6g 0g 1.6g

EFFECTS OF LIFESTYLE ON EXCRETION
PAGE 180- 182
 Kidney stones
 Kidney failure
 Dialysis
 Peritoneal dialysis
 Haemodialysis
 Liver disease
https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/887404
DO: QUESTIONS IN THE TEXT
 Complete a glossary using the key words from

chapter 7 (Page 189-190)
 Complete all Chapter 7 Review Questions (Page 191-
192)
 Prepare your own notes

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TOPIC 6: EXCRETORY SYSTEM

A. Williams and R.Johansen 2021

 Deamination: stripping of nitrogen from amino acids

 Some of the amino acids absorbed during digestion are

 Excess amino acids cannot be stored, they are

 The conversion first involves the removal of the amino

 Amino acid → ammonia + organic compounds

 Ammonia (very toxic) + CO2 → urea (H2NCONH2)

 Amino acid + oxygen carbohydrate + ammonia

 Ammonia is highly toxic & therefore needs to be removed

 Energy + CO2 + ammonia urea + water

Refer to page 171 of your Human Perspectives text 

 Protective covering over surface

 Structure suited to its

 Functional unit of the kidney,

• Glomerulus A knot of arterial capillaries

• Glomerular capsule Double walled cup that surrounds the glomerulus

• Descending Limb Straight portion leading to Loop of Henle

• Loop of Henle Hairpin bend at bottom of nephron

• Ascending Limb Straight portion leading from Loop of Henle

 Renal arteries: blood entering the kidneys through

 Afferent Arteriole: Each renal corpuscle is supplied by

Involves 3 major processes:

 Process takes place in the renal corpuscle when fluid is

 20% plasma is filtered through capillary walls into

 Selective reabsorption: Movement of substances from the

 Long length of tubule = Large surface area (due to

 Facultative Reabsorption: Active reabsorption

 Adds materials from blood to the filtrate (body wants

Region of nephron Activities taking place

 Water and other substances not reabsorbed drain into

Chemical Component Filtrate Reabsorbed Urine

Sodium, chloride and other ions 1500g 1485g 15g

Proteins 2g 1.9g 0.1g

Glucose 180g 180g 0g

Urea 53g 28g 25g

Uric Acid 8.5g 7.5g 1g

Creatinine 1.6g 0g 1.6g

 Complete a glossary using the key words from

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