UNITHUMANPHYSIOLOGY

Chapter17

EXCRETION
Themetabolisminanimalsresultinformationofsomewastesubstancesor
excretorysubstance.Carbohydratesandlipidcontainscarbon,hydrogenandoxygen
whereasproteinandnucleicacidcontainscarbon,hydrogen,oxygen&nitrogen.
MetabolismofcarbohydratesandlipidsresultsintheformationofCO2andH20.The
Metabolismofnitrogenouscompoundslikeproteinsandnucleicacidsresultsin
formationofNH3,uricacid,ureaetcTheaccumulationoftheseexcretorysubstances
altersthepHandthehomeostasis.Thismayresultinslowingdownthemetabolismand
cellpoisoningultimatelydeathoftheorganism.Sothesemetabolicwasteshavetobe
thrownoutofthebodybytheprocesscalledexcretion.
TheeliminationofCO2andH20takesplacethroughrespiratorysystemandskin.
Theeliminationofnitrogenouswastematerialsthroughmainlykidneyinhumanbeings.

NOTE:Removalofundigestedfoodmaterialiscalleddefecationoregestion.

17.1Definition:Essentiallyremovalofnitrogenouswastematerialfrombodyis
definedasexcretion.

17.2 Basedonexcretoryproductanimalscanbegroupedinto3majorgroups:

1. AmmonotelicanimalsTheorganismswhoseprincipleexcretaisammoniaare
calledammonotelicanimalsandtheprocessofeliminationofammoniaiscalled
ammonotelism.
Ammoniaishighlytoxic,cannotbestoredinbodyforlongtime.Itisreadilysoluble
inwaterhenceitisprincipleexcretainaquaticcrustaceous,annelidans,
molluscans,echinoderms,bonyfishesandlarvalformofamphibians.

2. Uricotelicanimals:Organismswhoseprincipleexcretaisuricacidarecalled
uricotelicanimalsandtheprocessofeliminationofuricacidiscalleduricotelism.
Uricacidisleasttoxic,aleastsolubleinwater.Henceitisprincipleexcretainthose
organismswhichconservewater.Eg:Insects,landsnail,reptilesandbirds.

1. Ureotielicanimals:Animalswhoseprincipleexcretaisureaarecalledureotielic
animalsandtheprocessofeliminationofureaiscalledureotelism.
Ureaislesstoxicthanammoniaandmoretoxicthanuricacid.Inornithinecycle
ammoniareactswithCotoformureainliver.Ureotoelicanimalsarecartilaginous
fishes,adultamphibiansandallmammals.

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 ExtraReading:

a) Aminotelicorganism:Somemolluscsandechinodermsexcreteexcessofamino
acidssuchanimalsarecalledaminotelicanimals.Eliminationofnitrogenouswastein
theformofaminoacidsarecalledaminotelism

b) Guanotelism:Eliminationofguanineinthenitrogenouswasteiscalledguanstelism.
Animalswhichfollowthisprocessarecalledguanotelicanimals.

Eg:Spiders.

17.3Someexcretoryorgansinvariousanimals:

ExcretoryorgansAnimals
Contractilevacuole Protozoans

FlamecellsPlatyhelmenthes

NephridiaAnnelidans

Greenglands&AntenaryglandsCrustaceans

MalpighiantubulesInsects

KidneyAllvertebrates

Figure17.1aFigure17.1b
Contractilevacuoleinameoba FlamecellsinPlatyhelminthes

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Figure17.1c Figure17.1d
Theexcretoryorgankidneyisamajorexcretoryorgan.Apartfromthis,skinis
alsoexcretoryorgan(sweatglandsandlacrymalgland).
Humanshaveapairofbeanshapedkidneys.Theyarefoundoneithersideofthe
vertebralcolumnatposteriorabdominalregion.Rightkidneyisslightlylowerthanleft
kidney.

17.4Internalstructureofthekidney:
Longitudinalsectionofkidneyrevealstwodistinctregionsouterrenalcortexand
innerrenalmedulla.Themedullahasrenalpyramids.Eachpyramidhasnarrowrenal
papillatowardsthepelvisandbroadbasetowardsthecortex.Eachrenalpapillaprojects
intothecavityofaminorcalyx.Theseminorcalycesjointogethertoform2to3major
calyces,whichopenintowidefunnellikestructurecalledrenalpelviswhichinturnopens
intotheureter.

Eachkidneyhasaboutamillionnephrons.Nephronisthestructuraland
functionalunitofkidney.Nephronisalsocalleduriniferoustubule.

IthasBowmanscapsule,glomerulus,Proximalconvolutedtubule(PCT),Henles
loop,Distalconvolutedtubule(DCT),collectingtubule.Urineformationtakesplacein
nephron.

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Figure17.2

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PCTDCT

Figure17.3(a,b,c)

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 17.5Flowchartofurineformation

Dissolvedsubstancesofbloodlike,urea,glucose,aminoacidsmineralsaltsetcfilteredout
inBowmanscapsuleunderhighfiltrationpressure.Glomerularfiltrateiscalled
primaryurine.

FiltratepassesthePCTwhichreabsorbsusefulsubstancesfromprimaryurine

PartialabsorptionofwaterandNa+ionstakesplacefromHenlesloop

Na+andH2OreabsorbedundertheinfluenceofhormoneinDCT

Urea,uricacidcreatinehippuricsecretedbytubule

Urineisformed.

17.6Micturition:Theactofexpulsionofurinefrombodyiscalledmicturitionor
urination.Itiscontrolledbyautonomousnervoussystem.

17.7Urine:

a) Volumeabout11/2ltto2lt/day
b) Colourcolourlesstoamber.Colourisduetourochrome
c) pHvalue6to8
d) Odour(1)Freshurinehasnoodour
(2)Stagnanturineproducespungentsmellofammonia

e)TasteSaltish

f)Sp.Gravity1.025

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17.7.1Chemicalcompositionofurine:

Urine

Water95%5%dissolvedsubstance

OrganicInorganic

UreaSulphates,chlorides
UricacidPhosphatesofNa,K,
CreatinineCa,Mg,NH4,drugs,
ParaaminoPigments
Hippuricacid
(PAH)

ExtraReading:

Summary:
The removal of metabolic waste products from the body is termed as excretion.

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 Egestion is the process of passing out undigested food material from the body and it is
the part of the digestive system.
The three main nitrogenous waste products excreted by animals are NH3, urea & uric
acid
Ammonotelism is the elimination of nitrogenous waste chiefly in the form of ammonia.
Animals excreting ammonia as the major nitrogenous wastes are called ammonotelic
animals.
Uricotelism is the elimination of nitrogenous waste chiefly in the form of uric acid.
Animals excreting uric acid as the major nitrogenous wastes are called uricotelic
animals.
Ureotelism is the elimination of nitrogenous waste chiefly in the form of urea. Animals
excreting urea as the major nitrogenous wastes are called ureatelic animals.
In Platyhelminthes, the excretion takes place through flame cells.
In anniledians, the excreatory organs are coiled tubules called nephridia.
The excretory organs in arthopodans are malpighian tubules.
The excretory organs in crustaceans(arthopodans) are green glands.
Each kidney in LS.shows two distinct regions an outer cortex and inner medulla.
Nephron is the structural and functional unit of a kidney.
Each nephron consists of Bowmanscapsule,glomerulus,Proximalconvoluted
tubule(PCT),Henlesloop,Distalconvolutedtubule(DCT),collectingtubule.
Yellowcolouroftheurineisduetourochrome.

ANSWERTHEFOLLOWING
1) What are the three types of nitrogenous waste products?

2) Classify the animals on the basis of their excretory wastes.

3) What is the principle nitrogenous waste in bony fishes and birds?

4) Name the excretory product in rat and horse.

5) Which is the principle nitrogenous waste in mammals?

6) How does the skin help in excretion?

7) What is urochrome?

8) What is the approximate number of nephrons in each kidney of a human being?

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