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Human Biology > Excretory System > Flashcards

Excretory System Flashcards

(54 cards)

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1
Q

Name the 5 organs involved in either processing of wastes or in the secretion of those wastes

A

-Lungs
-Liver
-Sweat Glands
-Alimentary Glands
-Kidneys

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2
Q

How do the Lungs contribute to the excretion of wastes from the body?

A

Secrete CO2 that is produced by all cells during cellular respiration

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3
Q

How does the Alimentary contribute to the excretion of wastes from the body?

A

Passes out bile pigments, which enter the small instestine with the bile

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4
Q

Where is the liver located?

A

Upper abdominal cavity - very large organ with a host of different functions (including the preparation of materials for excretion)

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5
Q

State an example of when the liver proccesses chemicals into a safer form

A

Converts ammonia produced from proteins into the safer form, urea (through the process deamination)

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6
Q

How does demination change ammonia into urea?

A

-Uses enzymes to remove the amino group (NH2) from the amino acids
-Once amino group is removed, it is converted by the liver cells to ammonia (NH3), then to urea, finally to be excreted

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7
Q

What happens to the remaining part of the amino acid?

A

(It is mainly carbon and hydrogen)
-Converted into a carbohydrate that can be readily broken down by the cells to release energy, carbon dioxide, and water

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8
Q

What does the liver do?

A

-Detoxifies alcohol and other drugs
-Deaminates
-Deactivates many hormomes and converts them into a form that can be excreted by the liver
-Breaks down the haemoglobin from dead red blood cells to produce bile pigments, which are then passed out of the body with the faeces

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9
Q

What is the ‘Deamination’ equation?

A

Amino acid + oxygen -(enzyme)-> carbohydrate + ammonia

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10
Q

How much water do sweat glands secrete per day?

A

500mL

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11
Q

What is dissolved in the water secreted by the sweat glands?

A

-Sodium chloride
-Lacid acid
-Urea
(these are being secreted from the body)

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12
Q

Where are the sweat gland located?

A

Lower layers of the skin

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13
Q

How is sweat excreted?

A

A duct carries the sweat to a hair follicle or to the skin surface where it opens at a pore, then cells surrounding the glands are able to contract and squeeze the sweat to the skin surface

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14
Q

Where are the kidneys located?

A

In the abdomen

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15
Q

How long (approx.) is each kidney?

A

11cm

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16
Q

What makes up the urinary system?

A

-Kidneys
-Bladder (and their associated ducts)

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17
Q

What is the kidney enclosed by?

A

The renal capsule

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18
Q

What is under the renal capsule?

A

-Outer Renal Cortex
-Inner Renal Medulla
-Renal Pelvis - sits on concave side of the kidney

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19
Q

Where is the Renal Hilum and what is its purpose?

A

-COncave surface of the kidney
-Where the blood vessels enter and leave

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20
Q

What does the medulla consist of?

A

-A number of renal pyramids (seperated by renal columns), where the blood vessels lie

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21
Q

What are the microscopic structures called that are in the kidney?

A

-Nephrons
-Collecting ducts

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22
Q

What is the Nephron?

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A

The functional unit of the kidney (where urine is formed)

23
Q

How many nephrons are in the kidney?

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A

1.2 million, each surrounded hy a complex network of blood capillaries

24
Q

What are nephrons responsible for?

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A

Removing wastes from the blood and regulating blood composition.

25
Approximately how much blood (L) passes through the two kidneys every minute?
1.2L
26
How does blood enter the kidney?
Renal arteries
27
What are the 3 major processes for urine production?
-Glomerular flitration -Selective reabsorption -Secretion by the tubles
28
Where does 'Glocmerular Filtration' occur?
Takes place in the renal corpuscle when fluid is forced out of the blood and is collected by the gloerular capsule.
29
Why does 'Selective Reabsorption' occur?
During glocmerular filtration many components of the plasma that are flitered from the capillaries of the glomerulus are of use to the body. Returning them to the body is necessary, so they are returned to the blood in the peritublar capillaries.
30
What does 'Tubular Secretion' do?
Adds materials to the filtrate from the blood, such as potassium, hydrogen ions and creatinine. This process maintains blood pH and urine pH.
31
Where do substances not reabsorbed go?
-Drains from the collecting ducts into the renal pelvis -From the pelvis, the urine drains into the ureters and is pushed to the urinary bladder (where it is stored)
32
How many ureters are there?
Two, one from each kidney which extend to the urinary bladder
33
Where does the urethra carry urine to and from?
From the urinary bladder to the exterior of the body
34
What is the compositon of urine?
A solution of water disolved with other wastes; -Urea -Creatinine -Sodium ions -Chloride ions -Potassium ions -Low levels of other solutes
35
How much urine will a healthy adult usually produce in a day?
1.5L
36
How are Kindey Stones formed?
Solid crystals that build up inside the kidneys, combining to form hard stones (usually when urine becomes too concentrated)
37
Why are Kidney Stones painful?
Can get stuck in the ureter, bladder or urethra
38
How are Kidney Stones removed?
Broken down either by sound waves or physically removed through surgery
39
What is the risk of an Australian adult developing a kidney disease?
1 in 3
40
Where do most kiney diseases affect?
They usually affect the glomeruli, reducing their ability to filter the blood, which may cause some protein and red blood cells to leave the blood and be present in the urine
41
What happens if excessive proteins are lost in urine?
-Blood protein levels fall -Fluid accumulates in the tissues (causing swelling in the hands, feet, face or other areas)
42
What is Kindey Failure?
When the kidneys lose thir ability to excrete waste and to control the level of fluid in the body
43
What diseases can slowly destroy the nephrons?
-Kidney dieaeses -High blood pressure -Diabetes
44
What are a persons options if they have kindey failure?
-Dialysis -Kidney Transplant
45
What is liver disease?
When the liver is unable to process toxens ready for elimination
46
How can liver disease be caused?
-Infection -Autoimmune problems -Genetic disorders -Cancer -Lifestyle factors (e.g. excess alcohol consumption, fatty diet etc.)
47
What are the symptoms of liver diease?
-Jaundice (yellow ting to the skin) -Abdominal pain and swelling -Swelling in the legs and feet -Nausea or vomiting -Fatigue -Dark urine -Faeces tht are pale or dark coloured
48
Why is glomerular filtration in the kidneys so efficient?
-The thin walls of capillaries and capsule (only two cells thick) -High glomerular blood pressure from the narrower efferent arteriole -Large blood volume flow
49
What is facultative reabsorption in the kidneys?
The reabsorption of water in the distal tubule and collecting duct, regulated by hormones to adjust water balance based on the body's needs.
50
What is peritoneal dialysis?
A form of dialysis where dialysate fluid is introduced into the abdomen and wastes diffuse across the peritoneum from the blood into the fluid, which is then removed.
51
What is haemodialysis?
A process in which blood is passed through an artificial kidney where wastes diffuse through a membrane into a dialysate solution. Usually done 3 times a week for 4–5 hours.
52
What happens to haemoglobin from old red blood cells in the liver?
It is broken down into bile pigments, which are then passed out of the body in faeces through the alimentary canal.
53
Define 'Excretion'?
The removal of metabolic wastes from the body
54
What is 'Osmoregulation'?
The control of water and salt concentrations in the blood

Human Biology (8 decks)

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