KIDNEY, EXCRETION

AND
OSMOREGULATION
BY SHAD SIMPSON, GILLAN JONES AND LEIGHTON
MAMDEEN
DEFINITION OF TERMS
Kidneys- Pair of organs in the abdominal cavity
of mammals, birds and reptile that excrete
urine.
Excretion- The removal of the toxic products of
metabolism from the body.
Excretory System- A passive biological system
that removes unwanted substances from bodily
fluids as to maintain internal chemical
homeostasis and prevent damage to the body.
OBJECTIVES

We will:
1) Explain the need to remove nitrogenous waste
and other excretory products from the body
2) describe the gross structure of the kidney and the
detailed structure of the nephron and associated
blood vessels.
THE REMOVAL OF NITROGENOUS WASTE
PRODUCTS FROM THE BODY
During metabolic activities waste is produced which is toxic and if allowed to
accumulate would poison the organism. Many are removed by diffusion as part
of some other process, e.g, carbon dioxide diffuses into the lungs during
breathing, in animals, however, nitrogenous wastes resulting from the
breakdown of excess amino acids pose problems. The ammonia produced is
especially toxic. If water is readily available it can be diluted sufficiently and
removed. Where water needs to be more conserved, for example in terrestrial
organisms and marine vertebrates, nitrogenous waste need to be more
concentrated before being removed. They must be converted to urea. Where
water is particularly scarce or flight make the storage of watery urine very
impractical, the ammonia is converted to uric acid which requires almost no
water for its removal. Birds and insects excrete uric acid.
EXCRETORY PRODUCTS IN ANIMALS

1)Carbon dioxide
2)Excess water and mineral salts
3)Bile pigments
4)Nitrogenous substances
NITROGENOUS SUBSTANCES
These include:
1) Ammonia- Animals excreting ammonia
are said to be ammonotelic.
2) Urea- These animals are ureotelic.
Urea is formed from ammonia by the
ornithine cycle.
3) Uric acid- Insect and birds excrete uric
acid and are said to be uricotelic.
THE FORMATION OF UREA

The human body cannot store any excess protein

that we eat. The body deals with the excess by the
process of deamination. This is a process which
occurs in the liver where excess amino acids are
broken down. The amino group is removed, and
forms ammonia (NH3). The rest of the amino acid
forms a keto acid, which can be respired to release
energy or converted to fat to be stored.
FORMATION OF UREA CONTD

Ammonia is very soluble and toxic, so it cannot be

allowed to remain in the body. Still in the liver, it is
combined with carbon dioxide to form urea,
CO(NH2)2. Urea, although still toxic, is much less
soluble and much less dangerous than ammonia.
The liver releases urea into the blood stream and is
removed when the blood passes through the
kidneys.
THE
ORNITHINE/URE
A CYCLE

This figure shows

how ammonia is
converted into
urea. This series of
metabolic
reactions is called
ornithine cycle.
Ornithine is an
amino acid not
used to make
CHEMICAL EQUATION FOR FORMING UREA

CO2 + 2NH3 CO(NH2)2 + H2O

THE STRUCTURE OF THE KIDNEY

The kidneys are a pair of bean shaped

organs of the excretory system found in
the abdominal cavity.
STRUCTURE OF THE
KIDNEY CONTD
Renal artery- Carries blood from
the heart to the kidneys.
Renal vein- Removes
deoxygenated blood from the
kidney( there are two veins).
Renal cortex- the part of the
kidney where all ultrafiltration
occurs.
Renal medulla- holds the tissue
that is the Renal pyramid.
Renal column( Bertin column-
separates renal pyramids. Allows
for blood vessel to pass to cortex.
Renal pyramids- contains tubules
which collects urine and sends it
to the calyces.
Renal capsule- provides
protection from damage.
Ureter- connects kidney to the
STRUCTURE OF THE KIDNEY CONTD

Nephron- Regulates the concentration of water and

soluble substances like sodium salts reabsorbing
what is needed and excretes the rest as urine.
THE NEPHRON

Tiny tubule that serve the main function

of the kidney.
THE NEPHRON CONTD
THE NEPHRON CONTD

Glomerulus- site of the filtration of fluids and solute out of the blood an into the tubules.
Bowmans capsule- Collects substances from the glomerulus via ultrafiltration.
Afferent arteriole- supplies the nephron with unfiltered blood.
Efferent arteriole- leads of to form a network of capillaries that run close alongside the rest of
the
nephron to allow easy movement of substances into the nephron.
Proximal convoluted tubule- reabsorbs all the glucose from the filtrate through ion cotransport.
Peritubular capillaries- blood vessels that travel alongside the nephron to facilitate reabsorption
and
secretion between blood and nephron.
Loop of Henle- recovers water and sodium from urine.
Vasa recta- *same as peritubular*
THE NEPHRON CONTD

Distal convoluted tubule- actively transports sodium ions into

the fluid and potassium ions out.
Collecting duct- Connects the nephron to the ureter and
participates in electrolytes and fluid balance (Osmoregulation)
through reabsorption and excretion.
TRIVIA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

1) Where do the blood vessels, nerves and ureter

connect to the kidney?
2) Glomerular filtration membrane consists of three
sections. What are they?
3) What are the segments of the nephron?
4) Chemical equation for the formation of urine?
THE END
THANKS FOR
YOUR
ATTENTION