Excretory System

ANIMAL AND HUMAN EXCRETORY SYSTEM

Excretory System

The
excretory
system
is
a
passive
biological
system
that
removes
excess,
unnecessary materials from the body fluids of an
organism, so as to help maintain internal
chemical homeostasis and prevent damage to
the body.

Note:This is not egestion which is the removal of

undigested food or feces

How does the excretory system work with

other systems in the human body?

The excretory system is a close partner with both

the circulatory and endocrine system. The
circulatory system connection is obvious. Blood
that circulates through the body passes through
one of the two kidneys. Urea, uric acid, and
water are removed from the blood and most of
the water is put back into the system.

What is the main purpose of the

excretory system?

The Excretory system is responsible for the

elimination of wastes produced by homeostasis.

Urine is the result of the excretory system

balancing the amount of water and salts in your
body. The regulation process of body fluids and
salt levels is also called osmoregulation.

What are the excretory organs of the

body?

Organs of excretion make up the excretory system. They

include the kidneys, large intestine, liver, skin, and lungs.
The kidneys filter blood and form urine. They are part of
the urinary system, which also includes the ureters,
bladder, and urethra

Major Metabolic Wastes

Carbon Dioxide
produced

from cellular respiration

Nitrogen Compounds
produced

by the breakdown of amino acids

Ammonia,

urea, uric acid

Mineral Salts

Water

Organs of Excretion
Kidney
Liver

Lungs
Skin

These

organs work with the circulatory, nervous and

endocrine systems to help keep the bodys internal
environment constant and maintain homeostasis

The Kidneys and the Urinary

System

Composed of:
Kidneys
Ureters
Bladder
Urethra

Male

Female

 Summary:
Kidneys

produce urine
which passes to a tube
called a ureter
Urine flows to the urinary
bladder where it is stored.
During urination the
stored urine travels from
the bladder to the
outside of the body
through the urethra
Helps to maintain a
proper fluid balance in
the body

Structure of the Kidney

Cortex:

outer part
where blood is filtered

Medulla:

middle part
made up of tubes
called collecting
ducts that carry filtrate
to pelvis

Pelvis:

inner region
connected to ureter

Kidney Function
Filters the blood

Primary organ of
Osmoregulation
(regulating water
balance)

How is Urine Formed?

Process

of filtration
and reabsorption
Filtration

of
materials from
blood

Reabsorption

certain useful
substances

of

Filtration:
Blood

enters kidney under

pressure forcing filtrate
through thin walls of
glomerulus into Bowmans
Capsule

Filtrate:
Composed

of water,
urea, glucose, amino
acids, various salts

Note :
We need a lot of this fluid back! Hydration. Otherwise we lose too much water,
glucose and salts
On average about 180 liters of filtrate is formed in 24 hours but only 1 to 1.5 liters of
urine is produced!

Reabsorption:
takes

place in renal
tubule (Loop of Henle)

Returns

99% of filtrate
back to the blood
Most

of the water

By passive transport

Glucose, amino acids

and most of the salts

Mostly by active
transport

Filtrate becomes very

concentrated as urine

Urine: made of urea, water and

excess salts

Regulation of Urine Output

Hypothalamus (small area of

brain)

Secretes hormone called ADH

(antidiuretic hormone)

Fluid intake low = ADH secreted

Stimulates reabsorption of water in
nephron.
Urine output decreases and is more
concentrated

Fluid intake high: ADH not

secreted

Less reabsorption of water in

nephron

Urine output increases and is

relatively dilute

Kidney Disorders

Kidney Stones:
found

when substances
crystalize out of urine

may

block kidney,
ureters, bladder

Kidney Dialysis:

when the kidneys fail, excess

fluids and wastes accumulate
in blood.
use artificial kidney to filter
blood

Uremia:
urine

and other wastes

are not filtered out of
blood, poisoning cells

 Gout:
uric

acid crystals are produced and

accumulate in joints

Similar

to arthritis

The Liver
Helps

to filter
the blood and
regulate the
makeup of
body fluids

 Detoxifies Blood
Removes

substances such as
drugs, alcohol and certain
toxins from the blood
Changes them to an inactive
form which is excreted from
the body by kidneys
Breaks

Down Worn Out Red

Blood Cells
RBCs

dont have nuclei and

dont live very long
Part of the hemoglobin
molecule is found in bile.

 Excretes Bile:
the

liver synthesizes and excretes bile into gall

bladder to add in fat digestion

Forms Urea
Excess

amino acids from protein

digestion are broken down in the liver
by deamination.

Deamination:
amino group

acid

changed

is removed from amino

to ammonia NH3

ammonia is

toxic to the body and is

changed into urea in the liver

Kidneys filter

out urea in the nephron

and excrete it from the body in urine.

Diseases of the Liver

Cirrhosis:
disease

caused by
overloading liver with
harmful materials such
as alcohol

Liver becomes

enlarged and
overgrown with excess
tissue

Jaundice:
Bile

is not secreted properly

Reabsorbed

hemoglobin fragments form bilirubin in the

blood and make the skin look jaundiced or yellow

Lungs
An

organ

Give

excretory

off carbon
dioxide,
and
excess
water
both metabolic
wastes.

Skin

Skin is the largest organ of

the human body.

It protects the inner

organs and tissues of the
body, and has sensory
cells to help us detect
changes
in
our
environment.

It also has sebaceous

glands that produce oil
that help protect skin and
keep it soft and pliable.

Skin

Gives
off
sweat
or
perspiration
to
help
regulate body temperature.

Sweat is composed of 99%

water, salts and some urea.

Also capillaries close to skin

surface help to eliminate or
conserve heat.

Comparative Excretory Systems

in Animals

Some animals have the same organs as humans

like dogs and horses and some others have a very
different and unique excretory system

Excretion in Protists and Hydra

Direct contact with cell membrane and

environment.

Wastes diffuse out of cell membranes or

are excreted through active transport

Metabolic wastes include: carbon

dioxide, ammonia and mineral salts

Ammonia is the chief nitrogenous

wastes of protists

Excretion in Earthworms

Pairs of nephridia found in almost every segment

Surrounded

by capillaries and filter wastes from blood

Wastes

form a dilute urine which passes through a bladder

and out through the nephridiopore.

Urine is water, mineral salts, ammonia and urea.

Dont Forget!

Thin outer skin is the respiratory surface

Below

skin are capillaries carrying blood with hemoglobin

Live in moist soil and constantly secretes mucus to keep skin moist
If

exposed to air and dries out it will suffocate

Excretion in Grasshoppers

Malpighian tubules are bathed by blood from open

circulatory system
Wastes

enter tubules and pass into intestine

Water and other useful substances are reabsorbed and
returned to body fluid

Dry nitrogenous waste product: uric acid

Helps

conserve water

Dont Forget!

System of tracheal tubes for gas

exchange
Branching air tubes

carry air directly

to cells
Muscle contractions pump air in
and out of tubes

Spiracles: outside openings that

lead to tracheal tubes