The Excretory System [7] Flashcards
(58 cards)
Purpose of excretory system
Collect and excrete wastes produced by metabolism, which are deadly if accumulated
Prevent wastes from reaching lethal concentration
Which organs are involved in processing and removing wastes
Lungs, liver, alimentary canal, sweat glands, kidneys
Describe deamination
Protein is a tertiary energy source. When needed for energy, NH2 (amino) group is removed from amino acid and converted by liver cells into NH3 (ammonia).
Remainder of amino acid turned into carbohydrate.
Oxygen + amino acid –> carbohydrate + ammonia
Process done through enzymes
How does the liver process waste
Liver cells turn ammonia into urea, a less toxic, easily excretable substance
energy + carbon dioxide + ammonia –> urea + water
Location and function of sweat glands
Lower layers of skin. Duct carries sweat to hair follicle or surface where it opens at a pore. Cells surrounding glands squeeze sweat to the skin surface, where it is evaporated
Substances dissolved in sweat
NaCl, urea, lactic acid
State the passage of a glucose particle in the nephron
Blood > renal artery > afferent & efferent arterioles (glomerulus) > glomerular capsule > proximal convulated tubule > peritubular capillaries > renal vein
Glucose takes reabsorption pathway
Passage of a urea molecule in the nephron
Renal artery > afferent & efferent arteriole (glomerulus) > glomerular capsule > proximal convulated tubule > loop of henle > distal convulated tubule > collecting duct
Urea is a waste, thus taking excretion pathway
Purpose of renal tubules
Reabsorb useful substances and secrete substances into filtrate
Renal corpuscle
Glomerulus and glomerular (bowman’s) capsule, where filtrate is formed
Renal medulla
Inner middle area of kidney
What encloses kidney
Renal capsule
Renal hilum
Where renal artery and vein enters and leaves
Renal pelvis
Funnels filtrate into ureter
Ureter
Carries urine to urinary bladder, where it is stored
Renal cortex
Outer part of kidney, between pyramids and capsule
Renal columns
Spaces between renal pyramids, where blood vessels lie
At what point is filtrate called urine
From the renal pelvis onwards (between collecting ducts and ureter)
What happens during glomerular filtration
In renal corpuscle, fluid forced from blood, diffusing through semipermeable membranes of capillaries and glomerular capsule, forming filtrate.
Composition of filtrate
Water, salts, amino acids, fatty acids, glucose, urea, uric acid, creatinine, hormones, toxins, various ions.
No RBC, WBC or plasma proteins as they are too large
How does the structure of the renal corpuscle achieve its function?
Function: Perform glomerular filtration - form filtrate, separate fluids from formed elements of blood
Afferent arteriole diameter > efferent, causing high B.P., forcing fluid through capillaries and capsule, and into tubules.
Purpose of kidneys
Maintain concentration of materials in body fluids and remove toxic wastes
Purpose of peritubular capillaries
Selective reabsorption - useful materials are diffused into blood, and carried to renal vein away from body
Tubular secretion - transports materials to tubules for secretion into filtrate
Why does selective reabsorption occur
As some components of filtrate are useful (e.g. glucose, NaCl), they must be reabsorbed into the bloodstream via peritubular capillaries and renal vein