Excretory System Flashcards
excretion:
removal of wastes from the body
skin:
external covering of an animal body
lungs:
the organ for breathing air. Gas exchange occurs in the lungs.
liver:
the largest gland in the body. The liver secretes bile for the digestion of fats, builds proteins from amino acids, breaks down many substances harmful to the body and has many other essential functions.
kidneys:
body organs that filter the blood, removing urea and other wastes
nephrons:
the filtration and excretory units of the kidney
ureters:
tubes from each kidney that carry urine to the bladder
bladder:
the sac that stores urine
urine:
yellowish liquid, produced in the kidneys. It is mostly water and contains waste products from the blood such as urea, ammonia and uric acid.
urination:
the passing of urine from the bladder to the outside of the body
urethra:
tube through which urine is emptied from the bladder to the outside of the body
Bowman’s capsule:
a cup-like structure at one end of a nephron within the kidney, surrounding the glomerulus. It serves as a filter to remove wastes and excess water.
glomerulus:
a cluster of capillaries in the kidney that acts as a filter to remove wastes and excess water
