Chapter 8

Excretion in Humans

1
 Success criteria
Excretion in Humans
What is excretion
I am able to define excretion.
I am able to explain the importance of removing
nitrogenous and other compounds from the body.

2
 Success criteria
Excretion in Humans
Human urinary system
 I am able to identify the kidneys, ureter, bladder and urethra.
 I am able to state their functions in excretion.
 I am able to outline the function of the nephron with
reference to ultra-filtration and selective reabsorption in the
production of urine.
 I am able to define and explain osmoregulation.

Kidney failure & dialysis

 I am able to outline the mechanism of dialysis in the case of
kidney failure.
3
Excretion in humans
What is excretion
Removal of metabolic waste products from the body

Human urinary system

Anatomy and functions: ultrafiltration,
selective reabsorption

Osmoregulation
Regulation of blood water potential

Kidney failure & dialysis

Causes of kidney failures and mechanisms
of dialysis
4
Excretion in humans
What is excretion
Removal of metabolic waste products from the body

Human urinary system

Anatomy and functions: ultrafiltration,
selective reabsorption

Osmoregulation
Regulation of blood water potential

Kidney failure & dialysis

Causes of kidney failures and mechanisms
of dialysis
5
 What is excretion
Textbook pg 153

Definition
The removal of metabolic waste products, toxic
substances and substances in excess of the body’s
requirements.

Different from egestion:

The removal of undigested food matter which have
never been involved in the metabolic activities of
cells, from the alimentary canal.
6
 What is excretion

What is metabolism?
Chemical processes that occur within a living
organism to maintain life.
Metabolism = Catabolism + Anabolism
Break down of Build up of
complex molecules complex molecules

enzyme simple enzyme

substance complex
substance

7
complex substance
simple substances
 What is excretion

Examples
Catabolism Anabolism
1. Respiration (oxidation 1. Photosynthesis
of glucose to form (synthesis of glucose
CO2 and H2O) using CO2 and H2O)
2. Deamination of 2. Formation of
proteins and amino glycogen from
acids to form urea in glucose molecules
liver 8
 What is excretion

Why is excretion important?

• Metabolism produces waste products
• High concentration of waste products  TOXIC

Excretion in unicellular organisms

• Most unicellular organisms are small and can
excrete their waste via diffusion
• Larger multicellular organisms have excretory
organs for excretion.
9
 What is excretion
Textbook pg 152-153

Excretory organs in humans:

Skin Liver

Lungs Kidneys
10
 What is excretion
Textbook pg 152-153

What are some metabolic waste

products?
• Carbon dioxide
• Urea
• Mineral salts or Ions
• Water

11
 What is excretion
Textbook pg 152-153

Metabolic waste products

Carbon dioxide
Product of Aerobic respiration
Toxic effects Hypercarbia: Too high blood [CO2] 
Headache, confusion, premature
heartbeats
Excretory Lungs
organ
Excreted as Gas in expired air
12
 What is excretion
Textbook pg 152-153

Metabolic waste products

Urea
Product of Deaminated excess amino acids
Toxic effects Uremia: Too high blood [urea] 
abdominal pains, nausea, vomiting,
muscle camps and irregular heartbeat
Excretory • Kidneys
organ • Skin
Excreted as • Constituent of urine (kidneys)
• Constituent of sweat (skin) 13
 Human digestive system
Textbook pg 91
Liver
Amino acids
2. Deamination of excess amino acids
• Deamination: removal of amino group to produce
urea and carbon residue. Urea is passed to
kidneys.

14
 What is excretion
Textbook pg 152-153

Metabolic waste products

Excess mineral salts or ions
Product of (Many reactions in body)
Toxic effects Too high blood conc of mineral salts/
ions  Affects water potential in cells
Blood contain high conc
of mineral salts or ions
(lower water potential)
Water moves out of Mineral salts or ions
tissue cells move into tissue cells
Tissue cells have
higher water potential 15
 What is excretion
Textbook pg 152-153

Metabolic waste products

Excess mineral salts or ions
Product of (Many reactions in body)
Toxic effects Too high blood conc of mineral salts/
ions  Affects water potential in cells 
dehydration of cells
Excretory • Kidneys
organ • Skin
Excreted as • Constituent of urine (kidneys)
• Constituent of sweat (skin) 16
 What is excretion
Textbook pg 152-153

Metabolic waste products

Excess water
Product of (Many reactions in body)
Toxic effects Higher water potential in blood 
Enters cells via osmosis  Cell burst
Blood contain higher
water potential

Mineral salts or ions Water moves into

moves out of tissue cells tissue cells
Tissue cells have
lower water potential 17
 What is excretion
Textbook pg 152-153

Metabolic waste products

Excess water
Product of (Many reactions in body)

Toxic effects Higher water potential in blood  Enters cells via

osmosis  Cell burst

Excretory • Kidneys
organ • Skin
• Lungs
Excreted as • Constituent of urine (kidneys)
• Constituent of sweat (skin)
• Constituent of expired air (water vapour) 18
 What is excretion FYI
Textbook pg 152-153

Metabolic waste products

Excess heat
Product of (Many reactions in body)

Toxic effects Too much heat produced  Denaturation of

enzymes  Impedes many metabolic reactions

Excretory • Kidneys
organ • Skin
• Lungs
Excreted when • Urine (kidneys)
trapped in • Sweat (skin)
• Expired air (water vapour) 19
 What is excretion FYI
Textbook pg 152-153

Metabolic waste products

Bile pigments
Product of Breakdown of haemoglobin in the liver and spleen

Toxic effects Too much bile in the intestines  Bile Acid

Malabsorption  watery stool (diarrhoea),
incontinence (loss of bowel control)
Excretory • Liver
organ • Spleen
Excreted as Constituent of faeces excreted through the anus
(accounts for the brown colour of faeces)
20
 What is excretion
Textbook pg 152-153
Waste products excreted by:

skin lungs liver kidneys

• urea • carbon dioxide • bile • urea

• excess water • excess water pigments • excess water
• excess salts • heat in faeces • excess salts
• heat through the • heat
in expired air
intestines
in sweat in urine 21
Excretion in humans
What is excretion
Removal of metabolic waste products from the body

Human urinary system

Anatomy and functions: ultrafiltration,
selective reabsorption

Osmoregulation
Regulation of blood water potential

Kidney failure & dialysis

Causes of kidney failures and mechanisms
of dialysis
22
 left renal artery
left renal vein left
inferior vena cava kidney
aorta
Parts of the right renal artery
urinary right renal vein
right kidney
system
Textbook pg 155
ureter

urinary
bladder

urethra

23
 Dirty blood
Inferior
Descending vena cava
aorta
Pathway of urine
formation
Textbook pg 155

24
 Dirty blood
Renal Artery
FUNCTION
Pathway of urine Deliver blood to
formation kidney (away from
heart)
Textbook pg 155

25
 Dirty blood

Pathway of urine
formation

Right kidney Left kidney

FUNCTION
Site where blood is
filtered to excrete urea
and excess salt and
water as urine

26
 Dirty blood
Clean blood

Pathway of urine
formation

Right kidney Left kidney

Renal Vein
FUNCTION
Deliver blood away
from kidney
(filtered blood) 27
 Pathway of urine Renal Artery
formation
Textbook pg 155

Right kidney Left kidney

Urine
(NOT urea)
Renal Vein

28
 Pathway of urine Renal Artery
formation
Textbook pg 155

Right kidney Left kidney

Ureter
FUNCTION
Connects kidneys to Renal Vein
urinary bladder.
Transports urine
from kidney to
bladder
29
 Pathway of urine Renal Artery
formation
Textbook pg 155

Right kidney Left kidney

Ureter

Renal Vein
FUNCTION Bladder
Duct to expel urine out FUNCTION
of bladder Elastic bag to store urine.
(Sphincter muscle) Urethra
Located in front of rectum
30
 Pathway of urine Renal Artery
formation
Textbook pg 155

Right kidney Left kidney

Ureter

*Note the difference Renal Vein

in spelling between Bladder
ureter and urethra

(Sphincter muscle) Urethra 31

Branching from the aorta

32
 Structure of kidneys Textbook pg 156
Cortex

FUNCTION Medulla
Cortex: Outer dark
red region.
Protected by a Renal pyramid
fibrous capsule that
protects the kidney

FUNCTION Renal pelvis

Renal pyramid:
Contains nephrons
FUNCTION
(radial stripes) where Renal pelvis: Enlarged
urine is formed portion of ureter 33
 Structure of kidneys Textbook pg 156
Cortex

Fibrous capsule Medulla

Nephron Renal vein

Renal artery

Renal pyramid
Ureter

Hilus Renal pelvis 34

 Human urinary system
Textbook pg 156

Keeping it real Medulla

Renal Pyramid
Cortex

35
 Human urinary system
Textbook pg 156

Keeping it real https://www.youtube.com/shorts/7iW1Fhgx7xg

Renal
pelvis

Ureter
36
 Human urinary system
Textbook pg 156

Main functions of the kidney

1. Urine formation
Remove metabolic waste products
2. Osmoregulator
Maintain appropriate blood water potential

37
 Human urinary system
Textbook pg 156

Nephron
• Basic functional units of the kidney
• Blood that enters the kidney meets
with the nephron
• Nephrons are tiny tubules where
urine is formed inside
• Many nephrons connect to the
ureter which drains urine into the
urinary bladder to be excreted out
of the body
38
 Human urinary system
Textbook pg 157

Nephron
• Can stretch to be
located in both
the medulla
(inner region)
and the cortex
(outer region)
• Can have
different lengths
39
Nephron
Malpighian corpuscle/
Renal corpuscle

40
 Human urinary system
Nephron Textbook pg 157-158
Cortex (outer region)
Bowman’s
capsule
afferent
• Found in cortex arteriole
• Cup-like structure efferent
that encapsulates the arteriole
`
Glomerulus
• Glomerulus: Mass of
blood capillaries.
• Glomerulus +
Bowman’s capsule =
Renal corpuscle/
Malpighian corpuscle Medulla (inner region)
41
 Human urinary system
Nephron Textbook pg 157-158
Cortex (outer region)
Proximal (first)
convoluted `
tubule afferent
arteriole
• A short, convoluted efferent
(coiled) tubule arteriole

• Connects from the

Bowman’s capsule
• Straightens out into
the medulla

42
Medulla (inner region)
 Human urinary system
Nephron Textbook pg 157-158
Cortex (outer region)
Loop of Henlé
• Starts in the
medulla, U-turns afferent
back into the arteriole
efferent
cortex arteriole
• U-shaped portion
of the tubule that
continues from the
proximal `
convoluted tubule

43
Medulla (inner region)
 Human urinary system
Nephron Textbook pg 157-158
Cortex (outer region)
Distal (second)
convoluted `

tubule afferent
arteriole
• Found in the cortex efferent
arteriole
• Continuation from
the Loop of Henlé
• Similar in structure
to the proximal
convoluted tubule

44
Medulla (inner region)
 Human urinary system
Nephron Textbook pg 157-158
Cortex (outer region)
Collecting duct
• Tubule runs from
the cortex to the afferent
medulla arteriole
efferent
• Eventually opens arteriole
into a funnel-like
space that leads to
the ureter
`

45
Medulla (inner region)
 Textbook pg 157-158

Human urinary system

Nephron: Blood movement
Cortex (outer region)
Afferent arteriole
• Small branch of the
renal artery afferent
`
arteriole
• Carries blood to
efferent
the glomerulus arteriole

Glomerulus `

• Mass of blood
capillaries found in
the Bowman’s
capsule
46
Medulla (inner region)
 Textbook pg 157-158

Human urinary system

Nephron: Blood movement
Cortex (outer region)
Efferent arteriole
• Transports blood away
from the glomerulus
afferent
• Blood continues to flow arteriole
to surround capillaries efferent
`
(i.e. Peritubular arteriole
capillaries that
surround the
proximal/distal tubules
and Vasa Recta that
surrounds the Loop of
Henlé) to lead into a
branch of the renal vein
47
Medulla (inner region)
 Textbook pg 157-158

Human urinary system

Nephron
Urine formation
• Blood carries metabolic
waste and useful
substances (e.g. O2 and
glucose) to kidneys.
• Kidney have processes to
help separate the waste
from the useful
substances
48
 Textbook pg 157-158

Human urinary system

Nephron
Urine formation
• Four processes occur in the
nephron: Filtration
(Ultrafiltration), (Selective)
Reabsorption, Secretion and
Excretion
1. Ultrafiltration: Waste & useful
substances removed from the
blood and enters tubules
2. Selective reabsorption: Useful
substances are taken back into
the blood 49
 Human urinary system
Ultrafiltration Textbook pg 159
1. Blood enters the afferent arteriole
2. Filtration at glomerulus

Blood to
Blood from peritubular
renal artery capillaries
(surround
proximal
tubule)

50
 Human urinary system
Ultrafiltration Textbook pg 159
1. Blood enters the afferent arteriole
Blood from the renal artery brings metabolic waste
(urea & excess water) AND useful substances
(glucose & amino acids) to the kidney tubule.
Structure Function
Afferent • Allows more blood to
arteriole enter the glomerulus
wider than • Creates high pressure
efferent in the glomerulus to
arteriole • Force blood plasma
out of the glomerulus
and into the
Bowman’s capsule
51
 Human urinary system
Ultrafiltration Textbook pg 159
2. Filtration at glomerulus
Zoom in to the walls of the glomerulus:
*NOTE: Don’t need to know this diagram, just FYI

52
 Human urinary system
Ultrafiltration Textbook pg 159
2. Filtration at the glomerulus *NOTE: Don’t need to
know this diagram, just
- Contains pores in the FYI

endothelium and presence of

podocyte cells that act as
filters (Partially permeable)
- Only allows small, soluble
molecules to pass through into
the tubule
- These filtered blood plasma is
known as glomerular filtrate
- Large molecules remain in
blood 53
 Human urinary system
Ultrafiltration Textbook pg 159
2. Filtration at the glomerulus
Substances remaining in
Substances filtered
blood (exit to efferent
(glomerular filtrate)
arteriole)
- Mineral salts - Proteins (e.g.
- Water albumin)
- Glucose - White blood cells
- Amino acids - Red blood cells
- Urea (Nitrogenous - Platelets
waste products) 54
 Human urinary system
Ultrafiltration Textbook pg 159
Proteins
RBC, WBC, platelets

Ultrafiltration
glomerular filtrate
Mineral salts
Water
Glucose
Amino acids
Urea (Nitrogenous
waste products)

55
 Human urinary system
Ultrafiltration Textbook pg 159
2. Filtration at the glomerulus
How is the glomerulus adapted for function?
Structure Function
Mass of blood capillaries ↑Glomerular
provide large surface Filtration rate
area
One-cell thick capillary
walls

Has pores in capillary Allows only

walls and a thin small, soluble
partially permeable substances to
membrane pass through 56
 Human urinary system
Ultrafiltration Textbook pg 160
2. Filtration at the glomerulus
Wall of the
glomerular
capillary contains:
- Pores
- Thin, partially
permeable
membrane

57
 Human urinary system
Selective reabsorption Textbook pg 160

Why do we need selective reabsorption?

- Ultrafiltration filters out the substances by size
- By nature, some useful substances and waste
products are similar in sizes, hence we need
another separation method to prevent
wastage of useful substances (i.e. glucose,
amino acids, water, mineral salts etc)
- Normal person has ~120 cm3 of glomerular
filtrate (most of it is water).
- Losing this much can lead to dehydration 58
 Human urinary system
Selective reabsorption Textbook pg 160

Movement of substances
In a healthy individual
Substance Process
reabsorbed
Most water Osmosis. (i.e. Blood has lower water
potential than tubule)
Some mineral salts Diffusion or Active transport. (depends
on blood concentration)
All glucose and amino Active transport. (i.e. Blood contains a
acids higher concentration of glucose and
amino acids than tubule)
59
 Human urinary system
Selective reabsorption Textbook pg 160

Summary Proteins
RBC, WBC, platelets

Ultrafiltration Selective
glomerular filtrate
Mineral salts reabsorption
Water Some mineral salts
Glucose Water
Amino acids Glucose
Urea (Nitrogenous Amino acids
waste products) back into the blood
Excretory products
Urea (Nitrogenous waste)
Excess water
Some mineral salts 60
 Human urinary system
Selective reabsorption Textbook pg 161

Breaking it down
Parts of the water glucose and mineral salts
nephron amino acids

Proximal Most reabsorbed All reabsorbed by Most reabsorbed

convoluted by osmosis active transport by diffusion and
tubule active transport
Loop of Henlé Some reabsorbed Some reabsorbed
by osmosis by active transport
Distal convoluted Some reabsorbed Some reabsorbed
tubule by osmosis by active transport
Collecting duct Some reabsorbed
by osmosis
61
 Human urinary system
Urine formation Textbook pg 160

Water Mineral salts Urea Other nitrogenous substances Total

(mainly NaCl) (uric acid, creatinine)
96.0 g 1.8 g 2.0 g 0.2 g 100.0 g

1. What changes would you observe if you drink more

water at one go?
More water present in urine = Diluted urine = Less yellow
colour urine
2. What changes in the constituents of urine will you
observe if you have a high protein diet?
You should have a higher concentration of urea in your urine
(More deamination) 62
 Human urinary system
Diabetes Textbook pg 160

• Chronic disease characterised by the body’s inability

to regulate its blood glucose levels
• There are three types of diabetes (type 1, 2 and
gestational)
Compared to a healthy person’s urine composition, how do
you think the glucose level of a diabetic patient will differ?
Diabetic patients will have higher levels of glucose in the
urine. Not all glucose was able to be reabsorbed back into the
capillaries.
*High sugar levels can also damage the filtration in kidneys 
pores get bigger  allow proteins to enter the tubules and
end up in the urine (normal should have little/no proteins) 63
Excretion in humans
What is excretion
Removal of metabolic waste products from the body

Human urinary system

Anatomy and functions: ultrafiltration,
selective reabsorption

Osmoregulation
Regulation of blood water potential

Kidney failure & dialysis

Causes of kidney failures and mechanisms
of dialysis
64
 Human urinary system
Osmoregulation Textbook pg 163

The control of water potential and solute

concentrations (levels) in the blood to maintain a
constant water potential in the body.

What happens when there are changes in water

potential of the blood?
High water potential water enters cells
in blood
osmosis
Low water potential in osmosis
blood
water leaves cells 65
 Human urinary system
Osmoregulation Textbook pg 163

Water potential in blood influenced by:

1. Salt concentration in plasma
2. Amount of water in plasma

Thus, to control the water potential, the kidney

controls the amount of water in the plasma

66
 Human urinary system
Osmoregulation Textbook pg 163

Controlling amount of water in blood plasma

- Controlled by
hormone:
Vasopressin or
Anti-diuretic
Hormone (ADH)
- ADH produced
by hypothalamus, Pituitary gland
secreted by
pituitary gland into the blood stream.
- Kidney does the corrective mechanisms
(osmoregulator) 67
 Human urinary system
Osmoregulation Textbook pg 163

What other conditions does the body self-regulate?

- Water
- Temperature
- pH
- Ion levels

68
 Human urinary system
Osmoregulation Textbook pg 174

How does the body self-regulate?

1. Stimulus (e.g. sweating  decrease water
potential) cause conditions to change from
normal level or set point
2. Receptor: detection of stimulus
3. Control centre
4. Corrective mechanism
5. Condition changes and return back to normal

69
 Human urinary system
Osmoregulation Textbook pg 164

Stimulus Receptor
osmoreceptors in the hypothalamus
Body loses water detects the decrease in water potential
e.g. sweating of blood plasma

Corrective mechanism Control centre

• Collecting duct cells: Hypothalamus produces
↑ permeability to water  more ADH to be released
Collecting duct cells: by pituitary gland into
↑ water reabsorption into blood bloodstream to kidneys
capillaries
Condition return to normal
• ↓ water in urine  ↓ vol of urine Water potential of blood
produced + ↑ concentration of increase to normal and ADH
70
urine (concentrated) production decreases to normal
 Human urinary system
Osmoregulation Textbook pg 164

Stimulus Receptor
Body has large osmoreceptors in the hypothalamus
detects the increase in water potential of
intake of water
blood plasma
e.g. drinking

Corrective mechanism Control centre

• Collecting duct cells: Hypothalamus produces
↓ permeability to water  less ADH to be released by
Collecting duct cells: pituitary gland into
↓ water reabsorption into blood bloodstream to kidneys
capillaries
Condition return to normal
• ↑ water in urine  ↑ vol of urine Water potential of blood
produced + ↓ concentration of decreases to normal and 71
ADH
urine (diluted) production increases to normal
Excretion in humans
What is excretion
Removal of metabolic waste products from the body

Human urinary system

Anatomy and functions: ultrafiltration,
selective reabsorption

Osmoregulation
Regulation of blood water potential

Kidney failure & dialysis

Causes of kidney failures and mechanisms
of dialysis
72
 Kidney failure & dialysis
Kidney failure Textbook pg 165

What is kidney failure?

When the kidney has stopped functioning well
enough for an individual to survive without dialysis or
a kidney transplant.

Can you survive with one kidney?

Yes, we can actually survive on the function of one
kidney. So why do we need two?

73
 Kidney failure & dialysis
Kidney failure Textbook pg 165

Causes of kidney failure

- High blood pressure
Damage small blood vessels in the kidneys  kidneys
cannot filter toxins from blood
- Diabetes (diabetic nephropathy)
Medical condition: inability to control blood glucose level
 overtime damage kidney structures  decrease function
- Alcohol abuse (heavy drinkers)
- Accidents
- Complications from major surgery
74
 Kidney failure & dialysis
Kidney failure Textbook pg 165

How to treat kidney failure?

1. Dialysis or Haemodialysis (via a dialysis machine
that mimics that functions of a kidney to clean the
patient’s blood from metabolic wate products
and toxins)

2. Kidney transplant (high-risk procedure with post-

surgery complications)

75
 What is kidney failure? Dialysis: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHZ-M25uDfk

Kidney failure & dialysis

Dialysis Textbook pg 166
1 artery fistula
Blood is 6 The filtered blood is
drawn from a filtered returned to a vein in
vein in the blood the patient’s arm
patient’s arm 1
6
vein
dialysis tubing 5 Larger molecules
2 Blood is pumped
used dialysis fluid (e.g. platelets and
into the dialysis blood cells) remain
machine through in the tubing
2 3
a tubing

pump 5 4
4 Small molecules
3 The tubing is bathed (e.g. urea) and
in a dialysis fluid metabolic waste
dialysis fresh products diffuse
and the tubing is fluid dialysis
partially permeable dialysis out of the tubing
fluid into dialysis fluid 76
machine
 Kidney failure & dialysis
Dialysis Textbook pg 165

What is the fistula for?

Fistula: Direct connection of an artery to a vein

Why do we insert the dialysis tube into the vein?

Because vein carries waste products back towards the
heart from the organs
What is the point of linking an artery to the vein
via a fistula?
Arteries have higher blood pressure  Increases the
rate at which blood is filtered through the machine77
 Kidney failure & dialysis
Dialysis Textbook pg 165

How does dialysis work?

- Ensures essential substances (glucose/AA/mineral salts)
don’t diffuse out of blood and into dialysis fluid
- If patient’s blood lacks these substances, they will diffuse
into the patient’s blood
protein molecule dialysis machine 1 The dialysis fluid has the
same composition as
partially permeable blood but it lacks the
membrane nitrogenous
dialysis fluid waste.
patient’s blood 2 Patient’s blood
2 enters dialysis
machine

1
dialysis fluid with dialysis fluid
waste products urea essential red blood cell 78
molecule mineral salt
 Kidney failure & dialysis
Dialysis Textbook pg 165

How does dialysis work?

- Dialysis fluid don’t contain metabolic waste products to
ensure that is a concentration gradient where waste products
are removed from the blood
1 The dialysis fluid has the
- Dialysis fluid same temp as body same composition as
protein molecule dialysis machine blood but it lacks the
nitrogenous waste.
partially permeable
membrane dialysis fluid

patient’s blood 2 Patient’s blood

2 enters dialysis
machine

1
dialysis fluid with dialysis fluid
waste products urea essential red blood cell 79
molecule mineral salt
 Kidney failure & dialysis
Dialysis Textbook pg 165

How does dialysis work?

- Opposite blood flow maintains concentration gradient for
waste product removal
3 Blood flows in the direction opposite
to the flow of the dialysis fluid. 1 The dialysis fluid has the
same composition as
protein molecule dialysis machine blood but it lacks the
nitrogenous waste.
partially permeable
membrane dialysis fluid

patient’s blood 2 Patient’s blood

2 enters dialysis
machine

1
dialysis fluid with dialysis fluid
waste products urea essential red blood cell 80
molecule mineral salt
 Kidney failure & dialysis
Dialysis Textbook pg 165

How does dialysis work? 4 A concentration

gradient is set up
between dialysis fluid
and the blood.
3 Blood flows in the direction opposite
to the flow of the dialysis fluid. 1 The dialysis fluid has the
same composition as
protein molecule dialysis machine blood but it lacks the
nitrogenous waste.
partially permeable
membrane dialysis fluid
4
patient’s blood 2 Patient’s blood
2 enters dialysis
machine

1
dialysis fluid with dialysis fluid
waste products urea essential red blood cell 81
molecule mineral salt
 Kidney failure & dialysis
Dialysis Textbook pg 165

How does dialysis work? 4 A concentration

- ↑ SA:Vol = ↑ rate of exchange gradient is set up
5 between dialysis fluid
↑ SA:Vol = ↑ rate of exchange and the blood.
3 Blood flows in the direction opposite
1 The dialysis fluid has the
to the flow of the dialysis fluid. same composition as
protein molecule dialysis machine blood but it lacks the
nitrogenous waste.
partially permeable
membrane dialysis fluid
4
patient’s blood 2 Patient’s blood
2 5 enters dialysis
machine

1
dialysis fluid with dialysis fluid
waste products urea essential red blood cell 82
molecule mineral salt
 Kidney failure & dialysis
Dialysis Textbook pg 165

Features of dialysis machine

Feature Function
Tubing is partially permeable Small molecules (e.g. urea) and metabolic waste products
diffuse out of the tubing into dialysis fluid. Larger
molecules (e.g. platelets and blood cells) remain in the
tubing.
Dialysis fluid contains same Ensures essential substances (glucose/AA/mineral salts)
concentration of essential don’t diffuse out of blood and into dialysis fluid
substances as healthy blood If patient’s blood lacks these substances, they will diffuse
into the patient’s blood
Dialysis don’t contain metabolic
waste products Ensure that is a concentration gradient where waste
Direction of blood flow and products are removed from the blood
dialysis fluid is opposite
Long, coiled and narrow tubing ↑ SA:Vol = ↑ rate of exchange 83
 Kidney failure & dialysis
Dialysis Textbook pg 165

National Kidney Foundation (NKF)

Patient needs to be
treated 2-3 times a week
for several hours each
time.

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 Kidney failure & dialysis
Kidney failure Textbook pg 165

Kidney transplant - Kidneys usually can be

Squirm-warning!! Kidney transplant in the OR:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPXphpl7gco preserved 24 – 48 hours
outside of body using cold
preservation fluid pumped
into the organ.
- Post-surgery complications:
 Recipient’s immune system
will attack the donor
kidney
 Require
immunosuppressant drugs
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 Excretion in humans FYI
Kidney stones
Kidney stones can get stuck in
the ureter or even within the
parts of the kidneys to block
the flow of urine.

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Worlds’ largest kidney stone: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5cr6wZg40A
 Success criteria
Excretion in Humans
What is excretion
I am able to define excretion.
I am able to explain the importance of removing
nitrogenous and other compounds from the body.

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 Success criteria
Excretion in Humans
Human urinary system
 I am able to identify the kidneys, ureter, bladder and urethra.
 I am able to state their functions in excretion.
 I am able to outline the function of the nephron with
reference to ultra-filtration and selective reabsorption in the
production of urine.
 I am able to define and explain osmoregulation.

Kidney failure & dialysis

 I am able to outline the mechanism of dialysis in the case of
kidney failure.
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