The Urinary System

The Urinary System

The Excretory Organs
Excretion: the process during which
substances must pass through a membrane
to leave the body
Lungs: excrete carbon dioxide and water
vapor in exhaled air
Kidneys: excrete nitrogen waste, salts,
water, and other substances in urine
Skin: excretes water, salts, small amount of
nitrogen wastes, and other substances in
sweat
Structures of the Urinary
System
 Kidneys: 2 bean-shaped
kidneys the size of a
clenched fist (one located
behind the stomach and
the other behind the liver)
regulate the composition of
blood (homeostasis)
 Ureter: narrow-tube that
leads from the kidneys to
the bladder
 Bladder: muscular sac that
stores urine
 Urethra: tube that forces
urine out of the body when
the bladder contracts
Function of the Kidneys
Kidneys filter the blood:
Kidneys eliminate nitrogenous compounds
(urea) from the breakdown of proteins
 Liver removes ammonia from the blood and
converts it to urea
Excretion of water
Excretion of toxins & drugs
Adjustment of salt
concentration
Nephrons

Nephron is the filtering unit of a kidney

Urineis made in the nephrons. Urine is a
liquid made of urea, water, and mineral salts
Filtration
Filtration:
materials-- water,
urea, glucose,
vitamins, and
salts--from the
blood are forced
out of the
glomerulus—knot
of capillaries and
into the Bowman’s
capsule
In a healthy kidney,
the filtrate does not
contain large
Reabsorption & Secretion
 Reabsorption:
substances needed by
the body are returned
to the blood
 Water returns to the
capillaries by osmosis
 Glucose, minerals, such
as sodium, potassium,
and calcium are returned
by active transport
 Secretion:
 Wastes and toxic material
pass from the blood into
the filtrate
Formation of Urine
The fluid that remains in the tubules is
urine
The urine from several renal tubules flows
into a collecting duct
Elimination of Urine
Urine from the
collecting duct
flows into the
ureter
Ureters lead from
the kidneys to the
urinary bladder,
where it is stored
until elimination
Muscular
contractions of the
bladder force urine