Excretion
Learning objectives:
Develop your knowledge and understanding of:
– Materials excreted by plants and animals
– The human excretory system
– Structure and function of the kidney
– Structure of the nephron
– Urine formation
– Dialysis
– Osmoregulation in humans
– Osmoregulation in plants (covered in 4th
form)
Excretion and the kidney
Learning objectives:
• Recall the main
organs of
excretion
• Describe the roles
of the kidney
• Describe the
structure of the
urinary system
RECAP: Excretion
All living things
excrete
Task: Recall the definition for excretion
Definition!
Excretion: removal from organisms of toxic materials,
waste products of metabolism and substances in
excess of requirements
• Waste substances
must be removed
from the body
since they are
toxic.
• Plants and animals
both need to get
rid of waste gas
and excess water.
Excretion
The main organs of excretion in humans
Waste product Why is it produced? How it is removed?
Carbon dioxide A product of aerobic Exhaled by the lungs
respiration
Urea Produced in the liver Kidney removes it from the blood.
when excess amino Excreted in urine, which is stored
acids are broken in the bladder.
down- deamination
Urea is also a component of sweat,
released by the sweat glands in
skin (along with excess salt and
water)
Excretion Products
Organism
Metabolic
Metabolic in which it
Waste process which How it is gotten rid of
is
makes it
produced
In animals it is
breathed out via the
Carbon Plant and lungs. In plants, some
dioxide animal Respiration is used in
photosynthesis and
some exits
via the stomata
In animals – some is
Plant and breathed out, some is
Water animal Respiration gotten rid of via
sweating and in
urine.
Some is used in
Oxygen Plants Photosynthesis respiration, some exits
via the stomata
Urea Animal Deamination and Urine
ornithine cycle
Breakdown of In faeces.
Bile Animal old red blood NB. Faeces are not
cells excretory materials.
True or False
1. The kidneys clean the
blood only
Kidney function FALSE
The kidneys have an excretory and
homeostatic function
1.Excretory organ – filters the blood of urea
(and excess salts and water) and processes
them into a form that can be eliminated
from the body (urine)
2.Homeostatic organ – (osmoregulation)
controlling the water balance of the blood,
tissue and cytoplasm.
True or False
2. Your kidneys are located just
below your belly button
Kidney location FALSE
Pair of organs located in the back of the upper
abdomen (mid back).
Each
kidney is
about a
size of a
fist.
True or False
3. The ureter carries urine from the
kidneys to the bladder
The urinary system TRUE
Task: Label the urinary
system diagram, and
write a sentence for
each part describing its
function.
The urinary system TRUE
Aorta
Vena cava
Renal artery: supplies
Renal veins: carries filtered
oxygenated blood to kidney
and deoxygenated blood
away from kidneys
Ureter: the duct by
which urine passes from Kidney:
the kidney to the bladder excretory and
homeostatic
Bladder: storage organ that organ
receives urine from the kidneys
and stores it for excretion (Urethral) sphincter: ring of
muscle that controls access to
Urethra: the duct by which the urethra from the bladder.
urine is excreted out of the
body from the bladder.
True or False
4. The kidney has a hip
Anatomy of the kidney TRUE-
ISH
Renal cortex – outer dark portion
of the kidney which filters large
molecules from the blood
(collecting duct found here) Renal vein
Renal artery
Renal pyramids Renal pelvis:
funnel-like top part
of ureter into
which kidney
Renal medulla – lighter layer tubules drain urine
just beneath the cortex, where
water, salt and urea are Ureter
removed from blood (Loop of
Henle found here). It is split
up into a number of sections,
known as renal pyramids
You do not need to know this!
True or False
5. This is a real kidney
Kidney dissection FALSE
This is not a real kidney
Thumbs up or
down
Learning objectives:
• Recall the main organs of excretion
• Describe the roles of the kidney
• Describe the structure of the urinary
system
Excretion Task: Complete this
table
The main organs of excretion
Waste product Why is it produced? How it is removed?
Carbon dioxide A product of aerobic
respiration
Urea Produced in the liver
when excess amino
acids are broken
down
Excretion Task: Complete this
table
The main organs of excretion
Waste product Why is it produced? How it is removed?
Carbon dioxide A product of aerobic
respiration
Urea Produced in the liver
when excess amino
acids are broken
down
Kidney function - excretion
Learning objectives:
• Describe the
structure of a
nephron
• Describe
ultrafiltration in the
Bowman’s capsule
and the composition
of the glomerular
filtrate
• Describe the
selective
reabsorption of water
and glucose
Each kidney is made up of about:
a) 125 000 filtering units
b) 1.25 million filtering units
c) 25 million filtering units
Nephron
Each kidney is made up of about 1.25 million filter
b) units called nephrons.
Nephron – draw and label
Glomerulus
Distal convoluted
Bowman’s capsule tubule
Proximal
convoluted tubule
Colleting duct
Loop of Henlé
True or False
Urine contains sugar, water and
wastes
Urine composition FALSE
• Water
• Urea (nitrogenous
wastes produced
from the degradation
of amino acids)
• Salts
The kidney is an excretory
Making urine organ
The filtration of the blood to form urine involves the
following steps:
1.Ultrafiltration
2.Selective reabsorption
The kidney is an excretory
Ultrafiltration organ
The Bowman's capsule encloses a knot of
capillaries called the glomerulus. The blood
capillary leaving the glomerulus is smaller in
diameter than the blood capillary entering the
glomerulus. This causes resistance to the blood
flow and results in an extremely high pressure
Basement in the glomerulus. This pressure forces fluid
membrane from the blood into the middle of the
Bowman’s capsule. This fluid is now called
glomerular filtrate.
Glomerulus Bowman’s capsule is surrounded by a basement
membrane which inhibits large molecules (such
Bowman’s as protein) from passing through. Smaller
Capsule molecules (such as water and salts) will easily
pass through into the capsule becoming part of
the glomerular filtrate.
The kidney is an excretory organ
Reabsorption: glucose
• Glucose is a small molecule which ends up as
part of the glomerular filtrate during
ultrafiltration.
• However, glucose is also a very useful
material (a reactant of aerobic respiration)
and must be reabsorbed.
• This happens in the proximal convoluted
tubule of the nephron. It is reabsorbed into
the capillary network that twists around the
nephron.
• This takes place via active transport.
The kidney is an excretory
Reabsorption: water organ
• Water is part of the glomerulus filtrate
during ultrafiltration.
• However, water is also a very valuable
material (tissue fluid) and must be
reabsorbed.
• This happens throughout the tubules in the
nephron including the loop of Henle and the
collecting duct.
FUN FACT: Desert animals have long loops of
Henle, whereas animals with easy access to
water have short loops of Henle.
Composition Task: Describe and explain
the table
Content (mg per 100ml)
Molecule Blood in Glomerular Urine Blood in
renal artery filtrate renal Vein
Proteins 740 0 0 740
Glucose 90 90 0 90
Urea 30 30 2000 24
Composition Task: Describe and explain
the table
Content (mg per 100ml)
Molecule Blood in Glomerular Urine Blood in
renal artery filtrate renal Vein
Proteins 740 0 0 740
Glucose 90 90 0 90
Urea 30 30 2000 24
Proteins – are too large to leave the blood.
Glucose – becomes part of the filtrate, however active transport
takes all of the glucose back into the blood.
Urea – becomes part of the filtrate, it is all excreted by the body.
Concentrated increases due to reabsorption of water
True or False
There are incidences of kidney
theft
TRUE
We can survive without one kidney very well, but total kidney
failure would be fatal if not treated. Treatment can take the
form of dialysis on a kidney machine or a kidney
transplant. Kidney transplants are in demand.
BBC report: kidney theft: Truth of fiction?
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A possible alternative? Printing a human kidney
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Thumbs up or
down
Learning objectives:
• Describe the structure of a nephron
• Describe ultrafiltration in the Bowman’s
capsule and the composition of the
glomerular filtrate
• Describe the selective reabsorption of
water and glucose
• Understand that urine contains water,
urea and salts.
The kidney is an excretory organ
Ultrafiltration
The Bowman's capsule encloses a knot of
capillaries called the glomerulus. The blood
capillary leaving the glomerulus is smaller in
diameter than the blood capillary entering the
glomerulus. This causes resistance to the blood
flow and results in an extremely high pressure
Basement in the glomerulus. This pressure forces fluid
membrane from the blood into the middle of the
Bowman’s capsule. This fluid is now called
glomerular filtrate.
Glomerulus Bowman’s capsule is surrounded by a basement
membrane which inhibits large molecules (such
Bowman’s as protein) from passing through. Smaller
Capsule molecules (such as water and salts) will easily
pass through into the capsule becoming part of
the glomerular filtrate.
The kidney is an excretory
Reabsorption: glucose organ
• Glucose is a small molecule which ends up as
part of the glomerular filtrate during
ultrafiltration.
• However, glucose is also a very useful
material (a reactant of aerobic respiration)
and must be reabsorbed.
• This happens in the proximal convoluted
tubule of the nephron. It is reabsorbed into
the capillary network that twists around the
nephron.
• This takes place via active transport.
The kidney is an excretory organ
Reabsorption: water
• Water is part of the glomerulus filtrate
during ultrafiltration.
• However, water is also a very valuable
material (tissue fluid) and must be
reabsorbed.
• This happens throughout the tubules in the
nephron including the loop of Henle and the
collecting duct.
FUN FACT: Desert animals have long loops of
Henle, whereas animals with easy access to
water have short loops of Henle.
Kidney function -
homeostasis
Learning objectives:
• Recall where water is
reabsorbed into the
blood
• Describe the role of
ADH in regulating the
water content of the
blood
True or False
If your urine is very dark you are
hydrated
Urine colour chart FALSE
Volume
decrease You have
s been drinking
enough water!
You need to
drink more
water
Water input
Task: What are the water inputs for the human body?
Water output
Task: What are the water outputs for the human body?
The kidney is a homeostatic
Osmoregulation organ
Osmoregulation is control of
the water content of the body.
Water content is controlled by water loss
from:
• the lungs when we exhale
• the skin by sweating
• the body, in urine produced by the
kidneys
The kidney is a homeostatic
Osmoregulation organ
Task: Why must we keep these water inputs and
outputs balanced?
The water content of tissue fluid must be kept
at a constant for cells to function in their
optimum conditions.
If the tissue fluid contained too much water,
the cells would swell up (and maybe burst) with
water by osmosis.
If the tissue fluid contained too little water,
the cells would lose water by osmosis and
become dehydrated (plasmolysed)
Controlling the The kidney is a homeostatic
concentration of urine NOTE: The organ
hypothalamus detects
an increase or
decrease in water
Osmoregulation is controlled with the content in the blood.
aid of ADH – antidiuretic hormone.
This hormone is produced by the
pituitary gland in the brain.
The presence of ADH in the blood
causes the collecting ducts to become
more permeable (and so more water is
reabsorbed and less urine is produced).
Water content Osmoregulation: negative feedback loopTask:
rises (plenty of Copy &
Rise detected Less ADH complete
drink, not
by the travels in ______ this
much
___________ in to kidneys, and diagram
sweating)
the brain. the collecting
duct becomes
Stimulates the
less __________
_____________ to
- less water is
stop releasing
reabsorbed.
ADH.
Normal water
Normal
content level.
water
content
level
Fall detected by ADH travels in
the ___________ ______ to kidneys,
in the brain. and causes the
collecting duct to
Water content Stimulates the become more
falls (not _____________ to __________ - more
drinking release ADH. water is
enough, reabsorbed.
Water content Osmoregulation: negative feedback loop
rises (plenty of
Rise detected Less ADH
drink, not
by the travels in blood
much
hypothalamus to kidneys, and
sweating)
in the brain. the collecting
duct becomes
Stimulates the
pituitary less
permeable -
gland to stop
releasing ADH. less water is
Normal water reabsorbed.
Normal
content level.
water
content
level
Fall detected by ADH travels in
the blood to kidneys,
hypothalamus in and causes the
the brain. collecting duct to
Water content become more
falls (not Stimulates the permeable - more
drinking pituitary gland water is
enough, to release ADH. reabsorbed.
The kidney is a homeostatic
Osmoregulation organ
EXAM Q: Explain what happens when
the body does not have enough water:
• Low levels of water in the blood detected by
hypothalamus.
• Pituitary increases its release of the
hormone ADH (Anti-diuretic hormone).
• More ADH enters kidney, stimulating it to
reabsorb more water
• The walls of the collecting duct become
permeable to water, which diffuses into the
blood.
• Smaller amounts of more concentrated
The kidney is a homeostatic
Osmoregulation organ
EXAM Q: Explain what happens when
the body has water in excess.
• High levels of water in the blood detected by
hypothalamus.
• Pituitary slows down its release of the hormone
ADH
• Less ADH enters kidney, which then reabsorbs
less water
• The walls of the collecting duct become
impermeable to water, water remains in the
collecting duct.
• More urine is produced
The kidney is an excretory
Nephron and homeostatic organ
Task: Play the
nephron
game!
Thumbs up or
down
Learning objectives:
• Recall where water is reabsorbed into
the blood
• Describe the role of ADH in regulating
the water content of the blood
The kidney is a homeostatic
Osmoregulation organ
Task: Why must we keep these water inputs and
outputs balanced?
The water content of tissue fluid must be kept
at a constant for cells to function in their
optimum conditions.
If the tissue fluid contained too much water,
If the tissue fluid contained too little water,
Controlling the The kidney is a homeostatic
concentration of urine NOTE: The organ
hypothalamus detects
an increase or
decrease in water
Osmoregulation is controlled with the content in the blood.
aid of
This hormone is produced by the
in the brain.
The presence of ADH in the blood
causes the collecting ducts to become
(and so more water
is reabsorbed and less urine is
produced).
Water content Osmoregulation: negative feedback loopTask:
rises (plenty of Copy &
Rise detected Less ADH complete
drink, not
by the travels in ______ this
much
___________ in to kidneys, and diagram
sweating)
the brain. the collecting
duct becomes
Stimulates the
less __________
_____________ to
- less water is
stop releasing
reabsorbed.
ADH.
Normal water
Normal
content level.
water
content
level
Fall detected by ADH travels in
the ___________ ______ to kidneys,
in the brain. and causes the
collecting duct to
Water content Stimulates the become more
falls (not _____________ to __________ - more
drinking release ADH. water is
enough, reabsorbed.
Water content Osmoregulation: negative feedback loopTask:
rises (plenty of Copy &
Rise detected Less ADH complete
drink, not
by the travels in ______ this
much
___________ in to kidneys, and diagram
sweating)
the brain. the collecting
duct becomes
Stimulates the
less __________
_____________ to
- less water is
stop releasing
reabsorbed.
ADH.
Normal water
Normal
content level.
water
content
level
Fall detected by ADH travels in
the ___________ ______ to kidneys,
in the brain. and causes the
collecting duct to
Water content Stimulates the become more
falls (not _____________ to __________ - more
drinking release ADH. water is
enough, reabsorbed.
The kidney is a homeostatic
Osmoregulation organ
EXAM Q: Explain what happens when
the body does not have enough water:
[6]
The loss of water means that the concentration of the blood starts to increase.
This is detected by special cells in the hypothalamus
These cells cause the pituitary gland to release more ADH
ADH travels in the blood to the kidney
At the kidney tubules, it causes the collecting ducts to become more
permeable to water
This means more water is reabsorbed back into the blood
This makes the urine more concentrated, and the blood becomes more dilute.
The kidney is a homeostatic
Osmoregulation organ
EXAM Q: Explain what happens when
the body has water in excess.
[6]
The gain of water means that the concentration of the blood starts to
decrease.
This is detected by special cells in the hypothalamus
These cells cause the pituitary gland to release less ADH
ADH travels in the blood to the kidney
At the kidney tubules, it causes the collecting ducts to become less
permeable to water
This means less water is reabsorbed back into the blood
This makes the urine more dilute, and the blood becomes more concentrated.
Extension:
1. Find out what negative feedback is and how the
action of ADH is an example of negative
feedback.
2. Question 4 page 34 of the Edexcel revision
guide.
2.70 understand the origin of carbon dioxide and oxygen as waste products
of metabolism
and their loss from the stomata of a leaf
2.71 know the excretory products of the lungs, kidneys and skin (organs of
excretion)
2.72B understand how the kidney carries out its roles of excretion and
osmoregulation
2.73B describe the structure of the urinary system, including the kidneys,
ureters,
bladder and urethra
2.74B describe the structure of a nephron, including the Bowman’s capsule
and
glomerulus, convoluted tubules, loop of Henle and collecting duct
2.75B describe ultrafiltration in the Bowman’s capsule and the composition of
the
glomerular filtrate
2.76B understand how water is reabsorbed into the blood from the collecting
duct
2.77B understand why selective reabsorption of glucose occurs at the proximal
convoluted tubule
2.78B describe the role of ADH in regulating the water content of the blood
2.79B understand that urine contains water, urea and ions
