excretion

renal vein

carries blood from kidneys back to the heart, filtering waste products and excess substances from the bloodstream.

renal artery

carries blood from the heart to the kidneys for filtration.

ureter

muscular tubes move urine from kidneys to bladder for storage before excretion.

urethra

tube that carries urine from the bladder to the outside of the body for excretion.

3 major divisions in the kidneys

renal cortex(outer layer), renal medulla (middle layer), and renal pelvis (inner structure).

nephrons

functional units of the kidney that filter blood and produce urine.

bowmans capsule

a cup-like structure located at the beginning of a nephron, responsible for enclosing the glomerulus and initiating the filtration of blood.

afferent arteriole

a blood vessel that carries blood into the glomerulus of a nephron, playing a crucial role in the filtration process.

efferent arteriole

a blood vessel that carries blood away from the glomerulus of a nephron, regulating blood flow and pressure within the glomerulus.

henle

surronded by the peritubular capillary network loop leads to the distal convoluted tubule which finally enters a collecting duct

urine formation (3 steps)

1. pressure filtaration: occurs inside bowmans capsule as molecules are forced through the glomerulus

2. selective reabsorption: occurs in the proximal convoluted tubule

3. tubular secretion: occurs in distal convoluted tubule

whats pressure filration

high blood pressure in glomerulus forces small molecules into bowmans capsule

selective reabsorption

the molecules that are reabsorped move from the

what’s tubular excretion

active process by which other non filtraterable wastes can be added to the tubular fluid so that these wastes will also be excreted in the urine

regulatory function of kidneys

regulate volume of blood this is done by two hormones ADH and ALDOSTERONE

how ADH does its job

cells in the hypothalamus detect low h2o content of blood, released into blood acts in distal convoluted tubul and collecting duct therefore blood volume increases

what’s aldosterone

hormone released by adrenal cortex, it acts on kidneys to retain na+ and excrete k+

trace the flow of urine from the kidney to the outside of the body by listing the following structures in the correct order and state a function of each : urethra, ureter, urinary bladder

kidney - ureter - (transports urine) - urinary bladder ( stores urine) - urethra (conducts urine out the body)