Excretion

Urinary system

PREPARED BY: MAGABE TK

 Excretion

Definition: excretion is the removal of waste

products from the body.
This comes as the results of all metabolic processes
that take place within the body which produce
variety of waste products such as:
• Ammonia
• Urea
• Uric acid
The accumulation of these waste products within a
cell would have a negative impact on its normal
functioning.

PREPARED BY: MAGABE TK

 Excretory organs

Organs Waste products

• Skin • Sweat, water, salts and urea

• Lungs • Carbon dioxide and water

• Kidneys • Urea, uric acid, ammonia & water

• Large intestine • Heavy metals (faeces)

PREPARED BY: MAGABE TK
Urinary System

PREPARED BY: MAGABE TK

The Kidneys

• Kidneys are reddish brown bean-

shaped organs situated above the
waist.
• They are enclosed and protected
by a smooth transparent
membrane.
• The renal capsule maintains the
shape of the kidneys.

PREPARED BY: MAGABE TK

Internal structure of the kidney

• A section through the kidney shows two distinct

regions:
1. An outer reddish part called the renal cortex
2. An inner reddish-brown region called renal
medulla
• The medulla consists of a number of cone-shaped
structures called pyramids.
The base of a pyramid faces the cortex and the apex
faces the calyx.
• The renal cortex and the pyramids make up the
functional portion of the kidney.
The functional unit of a kidney is the nephron. About a
million nephrons are found in the kidney
PREPARED BY: MAGABE TK
Internal structure
of the kidney
• Urine formed by nephrons drains into
papillary ducts which lead into cup
shaped calyces.
• The urine drains into the renal pelvis,
passes down the ureters, enters the
bladder and eventually leaves the
body via the urethra

PREPARED BY: MAGABE TK

The nephron

PREPARED BY: MAGABE TK

 EXCRETION

Filtration, re-absorption,
excretion and homeostasis

P R E PA R E D B Y: M A G A B E T K
Glomerular Filtration

Substances from the

blood in the
The afferent arteriole The blood in the
glomerulus are
is wider than the glomerulus is filtered
therefore forced out
efferent arteriole under great pressure
through tiny pores on
the capillary walls.

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 The podocytes with slit pores between
them act as a selective filter allowing
only small particles to pass through.

The substances that are able to pass

Glomerular through the pores on the capillaries
and slit pores on the podocytes are:
Filtration • Water
• Glucose
• Amino acids
• Urea
• Uric acid
• Salts

P R E PA R E D B Y: M A G A B E T K
Glomerular Filtration

The glomerular
The liquid which is in filtrate passes down
The blood cells and
the capsular space of the renal tubule
plasma proteins do
Bowman’s capsule is where re-absorption
not filter through
Glomerular filtrates and tubular excretion
take place.

P R E PA R E D B Y: M A G A B E T K
Tubular re-absorption

1. In the proximal convoluted tubule

Some w ater and almost all the glucose and other useful substances are selectively re -absorbed in the secondary
capillary network.

2. In the loop of Henle, distal and collecting tubules

The function of the loop of Henle is to ensure that the renal medulla always has a high concentration of sodium
ions.

Sodium ions are pumped out of the loop of Henle into the tissue of the renal medulla.

This allow w ater to leave the ascending limb, distal convoluted and collecting tubule by osmosis and enter the
renal medulla.

The fluid in the collecting duct is now a urine.

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Tubular excretion

• The epithelial cells of the tubules excrete substances into the tubules.

• Tubular excretion is the movement of substances from the blood into the tubular fluid.

• Excreted substances include:

Am m o n i a

Creatinine

Potassium

Hydrogen

Sodium

Bicarbonate

Drugs

P R E PA R E D B Y: M A G A B E T K
Tubular excretion

• The excretion of substances into tubules in an active transport mechanism.

• The tubular fluid (urine) passes along the collecting tubule.

• A number of collecting tubules from other nephrons unite to eventually form

a much larger tube called the duct of Bellini w hich pours urine into the
pelvis.

• The urine travels dow n the ureter, to the urinary bladder w here it is
temporarily stored until it is released to the exterior via urethra.

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 HOMEOSTASIS

P R E PA R E D B Y: M A G A B E T K
pH control

When the blood is too acidic When the blood is alkaline

(pH is too low) (pH is too high)
• More hydrogen ions are excreted • Less hydrogen ions are excreted
from the blood into the renal tubule. from the blood into the renal tubule.
• More bicarbonate ions are • Less bicarbonate ions are
reabsorbed into the blood. reabsorbed into the blood.
• In this way the pH of the blood is • In this way the pH of the blood is
increased to normal. decreased to normal.

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Osmoregulation and the role of ADH

W h e n t h e b l o od c o n t e nt i s h i g h

• The volume of water in the blood increases

• O s m o r e c e pt or s i n t h e h yp o t h a l a m us a r e s t i m ul a t e d .

• T h e m e s s a ge i s s e n t t o t h e p i t ui t a r y g l a nd w hi c h s e c r e t e s l e s s AD H i n t o t h e b l o o d.

• B e c a us e t h e r e d u c e d AD H , t h e w a l l s o f t h e d i s t a l c o n v o l ut e d a n d c o l l e c t i n g t u b u l e b e c o m e
less permeable.

• This cause less water to leave the tubule by osmosis and enter the medulla.

• More water thus remain in the tubule and more water is excreted from the body in the form
of very dilute urine.

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Osmoregulation and the role of ADH

When blood water content is low

• The volume of water in the blood decreases.

• Osmoreceptors in the hypothalamus are stimulated.

• Message is sent to the pituitary gland.

• T h e p i t u i t a ry g l a n d s e c re t e s m o re AD H i n t o t h e b l o o d .

• AD H i n c re a s e s t h e p e rm e a b i l i t y o f t h e w a l l s o f t h e d i s t a l c o n v o l u t e d a n d c o l l e c t i n g t u b u l e .

• This cause more water to leave the tubule by osmosis and enter the medulla.

• The water in the medulla is reabsorbed at a faster rate by blood capillaries which surrounds the tubule.

• The amount of water in the blood thus increases and concentrated urine is formed and less water is excreted from the
body.

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The role of aldosterone

When the blood sodium is low

• The adrenal glands secrete more aldosterone.

• Therefore more sodium is reabsorbed by the blood capillaries at the

distal convoluted and collecting tubules and less sodium ions are
excreted.

• In this w ay the amount of sodium is raised to normal in the blood.

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The role of aldosterone

When the blood sodium is high

• Adrenal glands secrete less aldosterone.

• Therefore less sodium is reabsorbed by the blood capillaries.

• This allow s more sodium to be excreted.

• The amount of sodium in the blood is decreased to normal in the blood.

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