Urinary/Excretory system Flashcards
Kidneys
Filter blood to remove urea
Ureter
Vessel that carries urine from the kidneys to the bladder
Bladder
Muscular sac which stores and releases urine
Urethra
Vessel which carries urine from bladder to outside world
What is urea
*Urea is cellular waste;
specifically, the substance that
results from the breakdown of
proteins (protein metabolism).
Urea is normally harmless and excreted in the urine. However, if it gets into the
digestive tract, this can cause poisoning.
Function of the excretory system
As blood travels through the body, it carries important molecules (such as nutrients and oxygen) to the cells and takes away waste gases and chemicals.
The function of the excretory system is to remove waste products from the body.
Main excretory system organs
- kidneys
- lungs
- sweat glands
Molecule
(Molecule: a group of two or more atoms held together by attractive forces known as chemical
bonds.)
The excretory system is responsible for:
- Filtering the blood: the kidneys filter out urea from the blood to form urine.
- Eliminating cellular and other waste: removing waste from the body (through urination, exhalation and perspiration).
What is the excretory system responsible for?
The excretory system is responsible for:
- Filtering the blood: the kidneys filter out urea from the blood to form
urine. - Eliminating cellular and other waste: removing waste from the body
(through urination, exhalation and perspiration).
What are components of urine
The substances that are filtered by the kidneys in the excretory system
Urine is made up of:
- Urea
- Salts: Your body will try to keep your salts at a healthy level by removing
the extra salts from the blood and adding it to your urine. - Water: Extra water in your blood will be removed.
the goal
Various organs and systems in the body work together to maintain a healthy balance of water, salts and cellular waste.
cellular waste
Cellular waste includes products from the breakdown of nutrients (such as
urea), as well as other substances that we breathe out (carbon dioxide) or consume (like salts).
lungs
The lungs remove carbon dioxide from the blood when we exhale.
sweat glands
Sweat glands excrete water, salts and other toxins through our
skin.
kidneys
The kidneys filter out excess salts, urea and water from our blood.
What do kidneys do
Kidneys have several jobs. One of the most important jobs is helping your
body eliminate toxins. Your kidneys filter your blood and send waste
products out of your body in urine (pee).
what happens when your kidneys dont work
When your kidneys don’t work correctly, waste products build up in your. body. If this happens, you’ll feel sick and eventually die without treatment.
kidneys
Your kidneys are bean-shaped organs about the size of your fist. They sit
under your ribcage, toward your back. Most people have two working
kidneys, but you can live well with only one kidney as long as it’s working correctly.
kidney failure
Kidney failure (renal failure) means one or both of
your kidneys no longer function well on their own.
Kidney failure is sometimes temporary and
develops quickly (acute). Other times it’s a chronic
(long-term) condition that slowly gets worse.
Kidney failure is the most severe stage of kidney
disease. It’s fatal without treatment. If you have
kidney failure, you may survive a few days or
weeks without treatment.
symptoms of renal failure
fatigue, nausea and vomiting, edema (swellin), poor appetite, metallic taste, peeing more, itchy and dry skin
