Scribd
Upload
25 views3 pages

Chapter 13 Excretion and Homestasis.pdf

Uploaded by

lee.injunn61
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
25 views3 pages

Chapter 13 Excretion and Homestasis.pdf

Uploaded by

lee.injunn61
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 3

EXCRETION

IN HUMANS

Excretion is the removal of toxic materials, the waste products of metabolism and
substances in excess of requirements.
These waste products can be very toxic, for example:

Urea - urea is formed in the liver as a Carbon dioxide - Carbon dioxide is a waste
result of an excess of amino acids. Amino product produced in cells during respiration;
acids carbon dioxide exits cells and is dissolved in the
cannot be stored in the body, unlike glucose blood, where it is carried to the lungs to
and other nutrients, thus excess amino be excreted.
acids that cannot be converted to proteins
and used in the body are removed from the Excess water and salt - Filtered from the blood
body in a process called de-amination. by the kidney and excreted as urine.

What does it do?


The renal system
The kidneys are specialised organs
that: Blood enters the kidney through the renal artery and exits
✧ remove toxic waste product urea through the renal vein.
from the circulating blood - they carry ● Cortex - the outer region of the kidney; the cortex
out excretion. contains nephrons.
✧ reguate the water content of the ● Nephron - the nephron is the functional unit of the kidney.
blood - they carry out It contains the glomerulus,
osmoregulation which is where the blood is filtered and glucose, urea, water
and salts are removed.
What affects volume of urine? ● Tubule - All glucose, most water and some salts are
reabsorbed into the blood in the
The volume of urine produced is dependent
tubule (after being filtered out in the glomerulus). This
on the water intake, temperature and
prevents the loss of too much
exercise: a
water. Urea is not reabsorbed, leading to a high
large amount of dilute urine is formed when
concentration of urea in the urine.
there is a large intake of water, a low
● Medulla - the inner region of the kidney.
temperature
● Ureter - tubes that transport urine from the kidneys to the
(water is not lost through sweating), and
bladder, where it is stored
when a low amount of exercise is carried
before being excreted from the body.
out.
structure &
dialysis
THE RENAL SYSTEM DIALYSIS
BLOOD ENTERS THE KIDNEY THROUGH THE RENAL When the kidneys are not working, the body
ARTERY AND EXITS THROUGH THE RENAL VEIN. cannot maintain the amounts of salts and
✧ CORTEX - THE OUTER REGION OF THE KIDNEY, glucose in the blood or remove urea. If the
CONTAINS NEPHRONS.
blood is not filtered correctly, urea builds up
✧ NEPHRON - THE FUNCTIONAL UNIT OF THE
in
KIDNEY. IT CONTAINS THE GLOMERULUS.
✧ TUBULE - ALL GLUCOSE, MOST WATER AND the body, which is toxic and can eventually
SOME SALTS ARE REABSORBED INTO THE BLOOD be fatal if a dialysis machine is not used or
IN THE the
TUBULE (AFTER BEING FILTERED OUT IN THE kidney repaired or replaced.
GLOMERULUS). THIS PREVENTS THE LOSS OF TOO
MUCH Blood is taken from the arm and travels
WATER. through the dialysis machine. The blood flows
✧ MEDULLA - THE INNER REGION OF THE KIDNEY. past a solution called dialysis fluid, containing
✧ URETER - TUBES THAT TRANSPORT URINE FROM glucose and ions. The blood
THE KIDNEYS TO THE BLADDER, WHERE IT IS
and fluid are separated by a partially
STORED
permeable membrane, allowing diffusion
BEFORE BEING EXCRETED FROM THE BODY.
between the
blood and fluid. There is a high concentration
gradient and urea exits the blood into the
dialysis fluid by diffusion. Clean blood then
exits the machine and re-enters the
patient's arm.

These machines must be used regularly,


however, to keep the blood clean. Patients
typically undergo dialysis 3 times a week for
hours at a time, making it difficult to work and
carry out a normal lifestyle.
KIDNEY
TRANSPLANT
Kidney transplants are an alternative to
constant dialysis. Although this comes with
the risks
associated with major surgery, as well as the
risk of rejection to the organ, a successful
kidney
transplant can raise the quality of life of the
patient and patients are not required to
undergo
hours of dialysis. Most humans are born with
two kidneys, although they can survive with
one, thus kidney transplants are from family
members, as there is less chance of
rejection.

You might also like