Excretory system Flashcards
functions of the excretory system
- removal of waste
- balance blood pH (7.3)
- maintensnce of water balance
components of the excretory system
renal artery, renal veins, kidneys, ureters, bladder, urethra
renal artery
delivers blood to the kidneys
renal veins
returns filtered blood to the heart
kidney
filters blood to remove waste products
- weighs 0.5kg
- hold 25% of the bodies blood at one time
located beneath the digestive organs
- made up of three layers: cortex (outer), Medulla(inner), and renal pelvis (central mass where all veins and tubes connect)
ureters
transport waste from the kidneys to the bladder
bladder
stores waste(urine) and u lose control once it hits 600ml
urethra
removes waste product
waste products
- urea (2%)
- uric acid
- creatinine
(make up 5% of waste)
urea
- Amino acids are broken down by liver (deamination) producing ammonia
- Ammonia is extremely toxic (0.005 mg can kill a human)
- Ammonia binds with carbon dioxide and forms urea
uric acid
formed bt the breakdown of nucleic acids
creatinine
by product of muscle metabolism
PH balance
- During cellular respiration excess acids (e.g. citric and lactic acid) build up in the body
- These acids are ionized to produce H+ ions
- The build up of H+ ions lowers the pH of blood
H+ ions can removed from blood and combined with filtrate urine
water balance
- The average adult loses 2 liters of water a day (how much you should consume a day)
By urine, perspiration and exhalation - ADH (antidiuretic hormone) helps regulate water by causing the kidneys to increase water reabsorption(out of urine and back into the blood)
- When ADH is released more concentrated urine is produced, conserving body water
different stages of dehyrdation
A drop in fluid intake by 1% causes thirst, 5% causes u to collapse or feel dizzy/faint, 10% causes death
the nephron
Nephrons are the functional unit of the kidneys
There can be up to one million nephrons in each kidney
what makes up a nephron
glomerulus, bowmans capsule, proximal tuble, loop of Henle, Distal tubule, collecting duct
golmerulus
cappilary bed where the renal artery and vein attach; this is where the kidney recieves blood
bowmans capsule
highest level of filtration, receives waste from glomerulus (backwards c)
proximal tube
connects to bowmans capsule to loop of henle
- more filtration
loop of henel
reabsorbes water and filters
distal tube
connects loop of henel to collecting duct
collecting duct
delivers waste to uterer
filtration
- Dissolved solutes pass through the walls of the glomerulus into bowmans capsules
- Blood cells, plasma and platelets are too large to move through the walls of the glomerulus same with proteins
reabsorption
- The transfer of essential solutes and water from the nephron back into the blood
- On average 600ml of fluid flows through the kidneys every minute but only 120ml is filtered through the nephron
- 119 of the 120 are reabsorbed (1ml urine -120ml filtered by the nephron)
- If reabsorption did not happen u would produce 120ml of urine every minute meaning you would need to drink one liter of water every ten minutes to maintain homeostasis