Excretory system Flashcards
What makes up urine?
Urea, Uric acid, Ketones, Ammonium, Creatinine
Where does Urea come from?
Result of detoxifying ammonia in the liver
What is the glomerulus?
A bunch of capillaries that has blood circulating through it at an increased pressure (filtration)
What is filtration?
A process in the nephrons of the kidney that forced materials out of the blood and into the nephrons tubule
What happens in the proximal convoluted tubule?
Tubular reabsorption of water, glucose, amino acids and some salts (active transport)
What is the purpose of the loop of Henle? How does it do this?
Water conservation by creating a salty environment in the medulla
What does the ascending loop of Henle do?
Moves sodium ions into the fluid of the medulla to create a salty environment which helps reabsorb water in the collecting duct
What does the descending loop of henle do?
Reabsorb water
What are the hormones that help regulate the kidneys?
Aldosterone and Antidiuretic hormone
What is aldosterone?
It is produced in the adrenal glands.
- Helps increase permeability to salt in kidney tubules
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What is ADH/vasopressin?
Produced in the hypothalamus and released from the pituitary gland
- Triggered when osmoreceptors detect change in the amount of water in the blood (if blood is thick, more water is needed)
- increases blood pressure
What is the difference between afferent and efferent arteriole?
Afferent: blood flow INTO glomerulus
Efferent: blood flow OUT of glomerulus
What are the functions of the kidney?
- remove wastes from blood
- control potassium and salt levels
- control water balance and blood acidity
Ureters
Tubes that bring urine from the renal pelvis of the kidney to the bladder (perform peristalsis!!)
Urethra
Tube that leads from the bladder to the outside of the body
