L.

Modder Name:___________________
Biology 12

Date:____________________

Excretory System 11

Order of Subtopics Covered:

1. Excretion
a. What is it?
b. Wastes
c. Organs of Excretion
2. Urinary System
a. Parts of the Urinary System
3. Kidney
a. Structure
b. Nephron
c. Movement through Nephron
i. Filtration/Reabsorption/Excretion
4. Regulatory Function of Kidneys
a. Blood Volume
i. ADH
ii. Aldosterone
b. pH
c. Electrolyte Balance
Excretion
WHAT IS IT?
Your cells are constantly carrying out chemical reactions to maintain homeostasis.
Many of these chemical reactions produce wastes that must be removed from cells and
from your body. Many of these wastes are small, water-soluble molecules that become
dissolved in your blood along with other small molecules that are not wastes. How is
your body able to separate and excrete waste products of Metabolism? - Raycroft
Excretion is the REMOVAL of WASTE produced in METABOLIC processes.
WASTES
1. AMMONIA = NH3: from deamination of amino groups. VERY TOXIC to
tissues, so in land mammals NH3 converted to UREA in liver.
Structure Of Urea
O
Urea is WATER SOLUBLE - excreted in URINE
H
2NCNH
2

2. CREATININE: is another nitrogenous waste. Creatinine comes from creatine

PHOSPHATE in muscle metabolism (a Phosphate-storage molecule)
3. BILE PIGMENTS: from breakdown of red blood cells
4. CO2
5. HCO3- (bicarbonate ion)

6. IONS: Salts K+, Na+, Ca++, Mg++, Fe+

7. these ions are NOT METABOLLIC products, but needed for various biochemical
processes and must be maintained at specific concentrations. Are excreted to
maintain proper balances of these ions
8. WATER: metabolic end product, maintains blood pressure, consumed with food

ORGANS OF EXCRETION
1. Kidneys: Remove NITROGENOUS wastes, bicarbonates, other SALTS and
water from the BLOOD.
a. Ammonia ( NH3 ) is a TOXIC waste.The hepatocyte (LIVER CELLS) produce
urea, which is less toxic than AMMONIA. Urea re-enters BLOOD and is
later removed by the KIDNEYS.
b. Creatine is a PHOSPHATE carrier that is removed by the kidneys.
c. BICARBONATE ions
2. Skin: PERSPIRATION causes the excretion of H2O, salts, and some urea, as well
as contributing to maintenance of body TEMPERATURE.
3. Liver: Excretion of BILE pigments.
4. Lungs: Excretion of H2O and CO2
5. Intestinal organs: Excretion of IRON and calcium salts, as well as CO2 waste.
Urinary System:
Includes the kidneys and other components involved in the FUNCTION, movement,
COLLECTION and expulsion of URINE.
PARTS OF THE URINARY SYSTEM:
1. The KIDNEYS: a pair of BEAN - shaped, reddish-brown organs that lie on the
DORSAL (back) body wall, and are kept in place by CONNECTIVE tissue
floating
o FILTER blood at a rate of 600 L per day to produce URINE, which is 95 %
water, 3% urea, and 2 % salts.
o Are supplied by the renal ARTERY from the heart. The renal artery
BRANCHES into many small AFFERENT and
EFFERENT arterioles that bring blood to be filtered.
o Blood leaving the kidneys is carried by the RENAL vein back to the heart.
2. Ureters: Tubes leading from the KIDNEYS to the BLADDER; urine is moved along
tubes by PERISTALTIC waves (contractions of the muscular ureter wall).
3. Bladder: An elastic sac that functions as a STORAGE place for urine; urine collects
in bladder before EXPULSION from the body.
o Bladder capacity is 600 mL to 1000 mL, and it can expand as it fills and
contract as it empties.
4. Urethra: Tube leading from the BLADDER to the outside of the body.
o the urethra of a man is about 6 INCHES long (extends through penis). In the
man, the urethra also transports SEMEN (but never at the same time as urine).
For women, the urethra is only ~1 INCH (which is why they get more
INFECTIONS here -- bacteria can invade more easily).
The Kidneys
KIDNEY STRUCTURE
THE NEPHRON
Functional UNIT of the kidneys, approx. 1 MILLION nephrons per kidney.
Is a long tube with SPECIALIZED structures and functions along its length.
o It filter wastes from the blood keeping WATER and OTHER NEEDED
MATERIALS.
URINE FORMATION happens here.

i. Bowmans CAPSULE:
- The C - shaped end portion of the nephron;
- Cups the GLOMERULUS, a cluster of CAPILLARIES that carry blood
under PRESSURE
AFFERENT arteriole: takes blood to glomerulus.
EFFERENT arteriole: takes blood from glomerulus.
- Site of FILTRATION of blood WASTES and nutrients are forced out
of the blood into the NEPHRON.
 ii. Proximal CONVOLUTED tubule:
- Closest portion of tubule to Bowmans CAPSULE
- The site of selective RE-ABSORPTION
iii. Loop of Henle:
- Section of nephron immediately following the PCT
- Consists of DESCENDING and ASCENDING limbs.
- Long loop allows for an INCREASE in surface area, allowing for
maximum REABSORPTION.
- Surrounded by the PERITUBULAR CAPILLARY NETWORK.
iv. Distal convoluted TUBULE: (DCT)
- Portion of tubule farthest from BOWMANS CAPSULE
- Site of tubular SECRETION.
v. Collecting duct: (CD)
- Collect newly made urine from nephron and leads to renal PELVIS.

MOVEMENT OF MATERIAL THROUGH THE NEPHRON

Urine formation occurs in the nephron where molecules are EXCHANGED
between BLOOD VESSELS (glomerulus and peritubular capillary network) and
the NEPHRON.
1. Pressure FILTRATION :
o What happens: HIGH B.P. in glomerulus causes small molecules to be
PUSHED out of the blood vessels of the glomerulus into BOWMANS'
capsule
o What leaves blood: SMALL molecules like water, IONS, nitrogenous wastes
(UREA & uric acid), some NUTRIENTS (amino acids, glucose); generally the
LARGER particles (BLOOD CELLS, PLATELETS, PROTEINS) do not leave
the BLOOD and exit via the EFFERENT arteriole
Fluid entering the Bowmans capsule = FILTRATE
o 1300 mL of blood reaches the Bowmans capsule each MINUTE, 1299 mL
leave, so only 1mL contributes to the formation of URINE each minute.
2. Selective RE-ABSORPTION - PCT
o What happens: Needed FRACTIONS of the filtrate that are needed by the
body are re-ABSORBED. Absorption occurs from the PROXIMAL
convoluted tubule back to the PERITUBULAR capillaries.
o What is reabsorbed PASSIVELY: H2O, CL- (absorbed down concentration
gradient
o What is reabsorbed ACTIVELY: GLUCOSE, NA+ (using channels and
moving against gradient).
o What remains in filtrate: materials are not REABSORBED - some water,
EXCESS salts, and waste materials.

Selective RE-ABSORPTION LOOP OF HENLE

o What happens: Filtrate moving into DESCENDING portion is HYPOTONIC to
blood causing water to move out of the filtrate into the BLOOD. Salt is also
moved both passively and ACTIVELY out of the filtrate.
o What is reabsorbed DESCENDING PORTION: H2O, following the
movement of salt, moves from the HYPOTONIC filtrate into the
HYPERTONIC area of the OUTER medulla
o What is reabsorbed ASCENDING PORTION: SALT PASSIVELY flows
down its gradient..As more and more salt moves to the medulla, salt
becomes ACTIVELY transported into the medulla.
Cells of the Loop of Henle has a lot of MITOCHONDRIA to help with
this active transport of SALT.
Water only exits at the descending portion as the ASCENDING portion
is IMPERMEABLE to water.
By the end of the Loop of Henle, urine is HYPOTONIC to blood
plasma (medulla) because of the water RETENTION and salt active
transport in the ascending limb.
3. Tubular EXCRETION ( or secretion):
o What happens: At the DISTAL convoluted tubule, additional wastes are
added to tubular fluid to be expelled with urine via ACTIVE TRANSPORT.
o What is excreted: HISTMINES, protons, ammonia, PENICILLIN, creatinine.

Fluid entering COLLECTING ducts from DCT:

o Cortex: Urine is ISOTONIC to surrounding cells.
o Medulla: Urine is hypotonic to surrounding cells.
o As a result, water passively DIFFUSES out of collecting duct into the cells.
Urine (TUBULAR fluid) passes into renal PELVIS through ducts, then out of
kidney to the bladder via the URETER.

Urine (%) Plasma (%)

Water 95 90-92
Urea 2.5 3 ABSENT
Protein ABSENT 6-8
Salts 2 <1
Ammonia 0.2 ABSENT
Uric Acid 0.1 ABSENT
Creatine 0.2 ABSENT
Regulatory Functions of the Kidneys:
1. BLOOD VOLUME:
a. ADH (ANTI - diuretic hormone) slows the formation of urine; old name is
VASOPRESSIN.
o Released by ANTERIOR PITUITARY.
o Diuretic medications inhibit ADH and increase fluid loss
o Acts on distal convoluted tubule and COLLECTING DUCT.
o Steps in ADH release:
1. Hypothalamus detects low [H2O] in blood or low blood VOLUME.
2. Hypothalamus sends message to POSTERIOR PITUITARY gland
which releases ADH.
3. ADH is carried in BLOOD to glomerulus and rest of NEPHRON.
4. ADH acts on DCT and CD
5. ADH causes more water REABSORBED
6. Urine volume DECREASES, blood volume INCREASES.
7. INCREASE [H2O] in blood urine is monitored by hypothalamus; ADH
release is STOPPED ( NEGATIVE feedback loop).
o Inhibitors of ADH include:
DIURETIC DRUGS:
Prescribed for high blood pressure.
Causes you to pee more!
alcohol:
increases urine VOLUME.
THIRST increases, more alcohol is CONSUMED.
leads to DEHYDRATION and general ILL
feeling (the hangover)
Diabetes insipidus:
inability to produce ADH.
Excess water and SALTS lost in very DILUTE urine.
Treatment includes ADH INJECTIONS.
 b. Aldosterone:
o Released by Adrenal CORTEX
o Acts on the DCT.
o Causes retention of NA+ & EXCRETION of K+.
o Na+ reabsorption causes WATER reabsorption
[NA+] in blood regulates the secretion of aldosterone via NEGATIVE
FEEDBACK LOOP.
Aldosterone causes an INCREASE in b.p.
o If [Na+] in blood is low, [H2O] in blood will also be low; resulting in
HYPOTENSION (low b.p.).
o If blood [Na+] is high, [H2O] in blood will also be high (
HYPERTENSION ).

2. BLOOD pH:
o Blood pH can be controlled by the kidneys because the amount of various IONS
excreted or reabsorbed can vary.
o If blood is acidic (LOW pH ), more H+ and ammonia can be excreted, and more
NaHCO3 can be reabsorbed.
o NaHCO3 neutralizes ACIDS.
o If blood is alkaline (HIGH pH ), less H+ and ammonia can be excreted, less
NaHCO3 reabsorbed.

3. ELECTROLYTE BALANCE:
o Kidneys can select which IONS are reabsorbed and/or excreted, and in what
QUANTITY. This action helps to maintain blood ELECTROLYTE balance.
o In some cases, minor FLUCTUATIONS can be serious ( OR [K+] can
interfere with normal heart rhythm).
Kidney disease or other problems:
1. Kidney function is vital to HOMEOSTASIS.
2. Conditions affecting kidney function:
a. cystitis: Infection of BLADDER by bacteria that enter through the URETHRA
b. Urethritis: Infection centered in URETHRA
c. Pyelonephritis: infection reaches KIDNEYS
d. Nephritis: Infection spreads to GLOMERULI
i. tested URINE contains PROTEINS and red blood cells.
ii. glomerulus damage results in INCREASED permeability or BLOCKAGE
(in which fluid cannot move into NEPHRON ).
e. Uremia: extensive damage to GLOMERULI (over 2/3 are damaged) results in
INADEQUATE filtration of wastes from blood, where they ACCUMULATE.
i. Urea ACCUMULATES in blood.
ii. Water and SALT balance is impaired, causing water to ACCUMULATE in
tissues ( EDEMA ).
iii. Results in ionic IMBALANCE and heart FAILURE.