Flashcards · 0610 · Topic 13

Excretion in humans flashcards

8 cards on Topic 13. Pick a subtopic or study them all.

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What do the lungs and the kidneys excrete?: Lungs: carbon dioxide. Kidneys: urea, excess water and excess ions (as urine).
Order of the urinary system structures: Kidney → ureter (one from each kidney) → bladder (stores urine) → urethra (one) → outside.
Ureter vs urethra: The two ureters carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder. The single urethra carries urine from the bladder to the outside.
Cortex and medulla of the kidneyExtended: Cortex: the outer, darker layer. Medulla: the inner region, made of cone-shaped sections.
Role of the nephron in three stepsExtended: At the glomerulus, water, glucose, urea and ions are filtered out of the blood. All of the glucose, some of the ions and most of the water are reabsorbed. Urea, excess water and excess ions remain as urine.
Why is there no protein in the urine of a healthy person?Extended: Proteins (and blood cells) are too large to be filtered out at the glomerulus, so they stay in the blood.
DeaminationExtended: The removal of the nitrogen-containing part of amino acids to form urea. It happens in the liver, to excess amino acids.
Why must urea be excreted?Extended: Urea is toxic. If it were not excreted it would build up in the blood and damage cells.