liver & excretion Flashcards
Define excretion
The removal of waste products from the body
What does excretion maintain?
Metabolism also homeostasis for helping to keep the levels of certain substances in the blood, roughly constant
Give an example of excretion (respiration)
Carbon dockside is a waste product of respiration too much in the blood is toxic, so it’s ready for the body by the lungs or gills which act as excretory organ
What organ breaks down excess amino acids
the liver
Why do amino acids need to be broken down and excreted?
Amino acids contain nitrogen in amino groups Nitrogenous substances can’t usually be stored by the body. This means excess amino acids can be damaging to the body therefore they must be used by the body (to make proteins) or broken down and excreted.
Explain the first step of how amino acids are broken down in the liver
deamination
The nitrogen containing amino groups are removed from any excess amino acids, forming ammonia and organic acids
Step two of the breakdown of amino acids
The organic acids can be respired to give ATP, or converted to carbohydrate and stored as glycogen
What happens to ammonia?
Ammonia is too toxic for mammals to excrete directly, so it’s combined with CO2 in the authorised cycle to create your urea
What happens to urea?
urea is released from the liver into the blood, the kidneys and filters the blood and remove the urea as urine, which is excreted from the body
What is detoxification?
The liver breaks down other harmful substances like alcohol, drugs, and unwanted hormones into less harmful compounds that can be excreted from the body
How is alcohol detoxified
Alcohol, a toxic substance that can damage cells is broken down by the liver into ethanal Which is broken down into a less harmful substance called acetic acid, Excess alcohol over a long period of time can lead to cirrhosis of the liver, This is when the cells of the liver die in score tissue blocks blood flow
describe the hepatic artery
Supplies to live with oxygenated blood from the heart of the liver has a good supply of oxygen for respiration
Describe the hepatic vein
Takes deoxygenated blood away from the liver
What’s the hepatic portal vein?
Brings blood from the duodenum and ileum(Parts of the small intestine)so it’s rich in the products of digestion. This means any interested, harmful substances are filled it out and broken down straight away
What’s the bile duct ?
Takes bile( a substance produced by the liver to emulsify fat )to the gallbladder to be stored