Excretory System Flashcards
(29 cards)
What is ammonia?
A nitrogenous waste product formed from the breakdown of proteins.
What is urea?
A nitrogenous waste product formed from the liver, less toxic than ammonia.
What is uric acid?
A nitrogenous waste product formed from the breakdown of purines.
What is urine?
A liquid by-product of metabolism in humans and many animals.
What is excretion?
The process of removing waste products from the body.
What is glomerular filtration?
The process by which the kidneys filter blood, removing excess wastes and fluids.
What is tubular reabsorption?
The process of reclaiming water and solutes from the filtrate back into the blood.
What is tubular secretion?
The process of transferring substances from the blood into the tubular fluid.
What is water reabsorption?
The process by which water is reabsorbed from the filtrate back into the bloodstream.
What are osmoreceptors?
Specialized cells that detect changes in osmotic pressure.
What is antidiuretic hormone (ADH)?
A hormone that helps regulate water balance in the body.
What is aldosterone?
A hormone that regulates sodium and potassium levels in the blood.
What are the key structures of the urinary system?
Kidneys, renal pelvis, cortex, medulla, ureters, urinary bladder, urethra, nephrons.
What is Bowman’s capsule?
A cup-like structure that encases the glomerulus in the nephron.
What is the glomerulus?
A network of capillaries involved in the filtration of blood.
What is filtrate?
The fluid that passes from the blood into the nephron during filtration.
What is the proximal tubule?
The segment of the nephron where most reabsorption occurs.
What is the loop of Henle?
A U-shaped portion of the nephron that concentrates urine.
What is the ascending loop?
The part of the loop of Henle that is impermeable to water.
What is the descending loop?
The part of the loop of Henle that is permeable to water.
What is the distal tubule?
The segment of the nephron involved in the final adjustments of urine composition.
What is the collecting duct?
The structure that collects urine from multiple nephrons and transports it to the renal pelvis.
What is diabetes insipidus?
A condition characterized by excessive thirst and urination due to ADH deficiency.
What is diabetes mellitus?
A group of diseases that result in high blood sugar levels.
