EXCRETORY SYSTEM

(Kidneys, Lungs, Liver, Bladder,

Ureter, and Urethra)

Excretory

Process of removing the waste

products of cell metabolism and the
excess amounts of certain substances
which might prevent the body organs
to function efficiently.
Proteins-they produce wastes such as urea

(a chemical compound of carbon,

hydrogen, nitrogen, and oxygen)

Cont..
Carbohydrates-they produce water and

carbon dioxide as waste products

Excretory Wastes:
Water
Salts-produce by metabolism
Carbon Dioxide-respiration
Nitrogen-containing compounds (ammonia,
urea, and amino acids) produce by the
breakdown of amino acids

Ammonia

It is a nitrogenous waste that is toxic and

must be remove from the body
It is produce as the body metabolize nutrients

(protein digestion)
During digestion, proteins are broken down
into amino acids
During amino acid breakdown, ammonia is
formed
Proteins Amino acids Ammonia
How an organism removes ammonia depends
upon where it lives

Removing Nitrogenous Waste

Products
1)

Ammonia (NH3):
o

This form of waste can only be used if the organism lives in an

aquatic environment
o Examples: ocean fish, crustaceans
2)

Urea
o

Many land animals and some bony fish (amphibians, mammals)

dilute the toxic ammonia with water.
o They do lose water in the process
o Examples: mammals and amphibians
3)

Uric Acid
o
o

Not very toxic because insoluble

Organisms conserve water & excrete their Nitrogen waste as a solid
(little loss of water)
o Examples: insects, reptiles, birds

The Mystery Behind Bird Poop

Unlike mammals, birds do not urinate

Their kidneys extract nitrogenous waste from the
bloodstream, and excrete it in the form of uric acid.
Uric acid has a low solubility in water, so it
emerges as a white paste.

What kind of Animal have the most

efficient kidneys?

Desert animals must

be able to conserve
moisture
Most terrestrial animals
must drink fresh water
often;
however
the
kangaroo rat does not
need to drink water
very often- its kidneys
absorb every little drop
of water

Excretory System in Man

1) Kidneys (located in back)
are
the
principal
organs
of
excretion.
Remove waste products from blood
Control water content of blood

Nephrons: How the body makes

Urine
Kidneys are
composed of 1
million cells called
Nephrons.
Nephrons- Filtering
unit of the kidney
These long coiled
tubes are where the
blood is actually
filtered and urine is
produced

Functions of Nephron

All excretory systems perform three

processes:
Filtration- filter out water, N-wastes, salt, amino

acids
Reabsorption- Reabsorb useful substances that the
body still needs
Secretion- collect wastes such as urine and pass
them to the bladder (urea, salts, other substances)

Blood filters through the kidneys about 6

times a day.
99% of the water is reabsorbed and not
excreted

Excretory System in Man

2) Lungs
diffuse gaseous wastes, such as carbon dioxide,
from the bloodstream as a normal part of respiration
3) Liver
The liver cells change excess amino acids into urea.
In addition, after liver cells break down old red blood
cells the rest of the latter become part of the bile
which is used in digestion of fats.
After this, bile is thrown out of the body with the
feces.

Excretory System in Man

4) Ureter

muscular ducts that propel urine from the kidneys to

theurinary bladder
In the human adult, the ureters are usually 2530cm (10
12in) long

5) Urinary Bladder

organ that collects waste excreted by the kidneys prior to

disposal byurination
Urine enters the bladder via the ureters and exits via
theurethra

6) Urethra

a tube which connects the urinary bladder to the outside of

the body. In humans, the urethra has an excretory function in
both genders to pass.

Excretory System in Man

Skin
Sweat glands in the skin secrete a fluid

waste called sweat or perspiration; its role

as a part of the excretory system is
minimal.

Large Intestine
The large intestine's main function is to

transport food particles through the body

It also expels the indigestible parts at the
other end, but it also collects waste from
throughout the body

Excretory System in Man

Excretory System

Excretory System in Female

1 Clitoris
2 Urethra
3 Bladder
4 Oviduct
5 Uterus
6 Vulva
7 Ovaries
8 Vagina
9 Endometrium
10 Labium majora
(minora pudendi)
11 Labium
12 Cervix

Excretory System in Male

Disorders and Diseases of Excretory

System (Kidney diseases)

NEPHRITIS
DEFINITION: Nephritis is the inflammation of one or both
kidneys. Out of the disorders, lupus nephritis is a
potentially serious condition. In this, the auto immune
system of the body attacks body tissues, organs and body
cells. The result is pain at the start and body organ damage
for continued diseases.
CAUSES : This is caused by the inflammation of the first

part of nephron (the basic kidney unit), which is called

glomerulus.
SYMPTOMS:

Smelly urine
Pain in lower abdomen
Blood in urine

Disorders and Diseases of Excretory

System (Kidney diseases)
TREATMENT: Antibiotics can be used to treat this

condition. When the disorder is caused by lupus,

steroids may also have to be used.

Disorders and Diseases of Excretory

System (Kidney diseases)

NEPHROSIS
DEFINITION: Also identified as nephrotic syndrome,
nephrosis includes symptoms of swelling, protein in urine,
low blood protein levels, and high cholesterol levels.
CAUSES: The causes of nephrosis include immune system
disorders, genetic problems, kidney malfunction, infections
such as hepatitis, mononucleosis or strep throat, use of
certain medications, etc.
SYMPTOMS:

Swelling in face, abdomen, arm and legs.

Foamy urine
Slight weight gain due to retained fluids
Loss of appetite

Disorders and Diseases of Excretory

System (Kidney diseases)
TREATMENTS: The treatment of nephrosis consists of

removing the disorders that are causing it. It is also

necessary to change the diet of the patient so the high
cholesterol and triglyceride levels are controlled.

Disorders and Diseases of Excretory

System (Kidney diseases)

KIDNEY STONES OR URINARY CALCULI

DEFINITION:These are smaller sized deposits of calcium and
can be seen in the nephrons. The stones could also increase or
go down to urinary tract causing extreme pain. The stone may
also get infected causing further set of complications
CAUSES:The main cause is change/increase in salt and
mineral levels and that of other substances in urine. This may
later on increase the size of stones. The other reason can be
heredity.
SYMPTOMS:
Vomiting or nausea
Painful urination
Frequent urination
Fever or chills
Bloody or smelly urine
Sharp pain of the back or the side

Disorders and Diseases of Excretory

System (Kidney diseases)
TREATMENTS:Reduced size of stones tends to pass out of

body without requiring any surgery. The treatment may

consist of just taking lot of fluids so that the stones are
washed down. In such cases, the fluid is collected for 24 hours
continuously and examined in laboratory for presence of small
stones. Painkillers may also be used for alleviation of pains for
the patient.

Disorders and Diseases of Excretory

System (Kidney diseases)

CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE (CKD)

DEFINITION:Also known as chronic renal disease, is
progressive loss in kidney function over a period of months or
years. CAUSES:The causes are high blood sugar levels
caused by diabetes damage blood vessels in the kidneys and
uncontrolled high blood pressure damages blood vessels,
which can lead to damage in the kidneys.
SYMPTOMS: As the kidney function decreases:
Loss of appetite
Urea accumulates, leading to high systemic circulation.
urea is excreted in eccrine sweat at high concentrations and
crystallizes on skin as the sweat evaporates ("uremic frost")
Increased in blood pressure/ hypertension
Sexual dysfunction

Disorders and Diseases of Excretory

System (Kidney diseases)
TREATMENTS: Apart from controlling other risk factors, the

goal of therapy is to slow down or halt the progression of CKD

to stage 5. Control of blood pressure and treatment of the
original disease, whenever feasible, are the broad principles of
management. At stage 5 CKD, renal replacement therapy is
usually required, in the form of either dialysis or a transplant.

Disorders and Diseases of Excretory

System (Kidney diseases)

POLYCYSTIC KIDNEY DISEASE

DEFINITION: A genetic disorder that causes numerous cysts to
grow in the kidneys. A kidney cyst is an abnormal sac filled with
fluid. PKD cysts can greatly enlarge the kidneys while replacing
much of their normal structure, resulting in chronic kidney
disease (CKD), which causes reduced kidney function over time.
CAUSES : Caused by gene mutation, or defect. A gene mutation
is a permanent change in the DNA sequence that makes up a
gene. In most cases of PKD, a person inherits the gene
mutation, meaning a parent passes it on in his or her genes.
SYMPTOMS: In many cases, PKD does not cause signs or
symptoms until cysts are half an inch or larger. When present,
Pain in the back and sides
Pain between the ribs and hips
Headaches

Disorders and Diseases of Excretory

System (Kidney diseases)
COMPLICATIONS: Cyst infection, other types of urinary tract

infections (UTIs), bleeding into cysts, kidney stones, kidney

failure, liver cysts, abnormal heart valves, and brain
aneurysms.
TREATMENTS: A patient may need removal of one or both
kidneys if pressure from the enlarged kidneys makes
breathing impossible. Children with removed kidneys must
receive dialysis or a kidney transplant.

Disorders and Diseases of Excretory

System (Ureteral disease)

VESICOURETERAL REFLUX
DEFINITION:It is said to occur when the urine flows back
from bladder into ureters. Seen commonly in children, the
advance in age sees the reduction on the disease.
CAUSES:The main reason of the disease is the defective
valve between the ureters and the bladder. The defect may
also be present before the birth. A secondary cause is
blockage in the urinary system or malfunctioning of the
urinary system.
SYMPTOMS:
Pain and burning sensation while urinating
Pain in abdomen
Increased frequency of urination with very small quantities
every time
Frequent urge to urinate.
Fever

Disorders and Diseases of Excretory

System (Ureteral disease)
TREATMENTS:The malfunctioning valve between the ureters

and the bladder is repaired with surgery. In case infection of

the urinary tract is the cause of disease, it can be effectively
treated with medicines. The medication is also effective in
preventing the infection down to the kidneys. Surgical
treatment is also required if the medicines are not effective.

Disorders and Diseases of Excretory

System (Urinary Bladder diseases)

CYSTITIS OR URINARY TRACT INFECTION (UTI)

DEFINITION: It is the inflammation of the bladder. The
bladder is the storage place for the urine until it is discharged
by voluntary action of body. The urge to urinate is not an
automatic action and hence bladder always has some quantity
of urine. The bladder is the place where bacteria can grow
easily leading to inflammation of bladder.
CAUSES: The culprit in at least 90% of uncomplicated
infections is a type of bacteria called Escherichia coli, better
know as E. coli. These bacteria normally live in the bowel
(intestine) and around the anus. Women may be especially
prone to UTIs because they have shorter urethras, which allow
bacteria quick access to the bladder.
These bacteria can move from the area around the anus to
the opening of the urethra. The two most common causes
of this are improper wiping and sexual intercourse.

Disorders and Diseases of Excretory

System (Urinary Bladder diseases)
Usually, the act of emptying the bladder (urinating) flushes
the bacteria out of the urethra. If there are too many
bacteria, urinating may not stop their spread.
The bacteria can travel up the urethra to the bladder, where
they can grow and cause an infection
SYMPTOMS:
Pain or difficulty when urinating
Foul-smelling urine
Pain or soreness of abdomen
Blood in urine
Fever or chills (a sign the infection may have reached
yourkidneys)

Disorders and Diseases of Excretory

System (Urinary Bladder diseases)
TREATMENTS: Cystitis is normally treated with antibiotics for

bacteria. The removal of contributing causes can also form

part of treatment.

Disorders and Diseases of Excretory

System (Urinary Bladder diseases)

BLADDER CANCER
DEFINITION:When there is uncontrolled growth of cells
present in bladder, it is known as bladder cancer. The end
result is a tumor in the bladder.
CAUSES:The cause and effect in case of cancer is not yet
very clear but a number of reasons are cited for this purpose
and most of them are smoking, radiation, parasitic infection,
exposure to chemicals known as carcinogens.
SYMPTOMS:
Pain while urinating
Back pain
Pain in pelvic region
Frequent urge for urination without actual flow or frequent
urination
Blood in urine

Disorders and Diseases of Excretory

System (Urinary Bladder diseases)
TREATMENTS:The treatment of cancer bladder is similar to

the other cancers of the body. Radiation therapy, or

chemotherapy is applied coterminous with the surgery. The
exact sequence is best determined by the opinion of the
treatment and there is no definite line of standard treatment
developed in any of countries anywhere in the world.

Disorders and Diseases of Excretory

System (Urethral disease)

URETHRITIS
DEFINITION:The inflammation of the visible genital part.
Urethra is tube carrying urine from bladder to outside the
body. Since a part of body is exposed to elements, the
possibility of infection from external causes is higher in
case of urethra.
CAUSES:The causes of urethritis are mostly sexually
transmitted diseases, including gonorrhea or chlamydia.
SYMPTOMS:
Very sharp pain when passing urine
Itching of private parts, pain or discomfort even while
not urinating
Difficulty in starting of urination even when urge to
urinate present

Disorders and Diseases of Excretory

System (Urethral disease)
Discharge from urethral opening
Urge to urinate frequently
Blood in urine and/or semen is a possible visible indication
Painful sex.
TREATMENTS:The treatment is basically antibiotic. The
exact organism that is causing the diseases is not known and
hence a wide spectrum of antibiotics is used for treatment. It
is difficult to treat this condition since patients tend to ignore
or conceal for long due to sexual inhibitions.

Disorders and Diseases of Excretory

System

HYPOSPADIAS
DEFINITION:It is a birth defect in which the male urinary
opening is misplaced on the penis; it may be under the head
of the penis or as far away as the scrotum.
CAUSE:Caused by birth defect
TREATMENT: Surgery before the child reaches 24 can correct
the defect, permitting normal urination.

THE END