16. EXCRETORY PRODUCTS AND THEIR ELIMINATION
Animals accumulate various nitrogenous wastes, including ammonia, urea, and uric acid, due to metabolic processes. The excretory system plays a crucial role in eliminating these wastes and maintaining homeostasis, particularly in humans where the kidneys filter blood to produce urine through three main processes: filtration, reabsorption, and secretion. Different structures, including nephrons and various excretory organs, are vital in this process along with hormonal regulation.
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What we have learnt
- Animals excrete nitrogenous wastes primarily in three forms: ammonia, urea, and uric acid.
- The human excretory system consists of kidneys, ureters, a urinary bladder, and a urethra.
- Kidneys function as the main organ for filtration, with nephrons being their functional units responsible for urine formation.
Key Concepts
- -- Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR)
- The amount of plasma filtered by the kidneys per minute, approximately 125 ml in a healthy adult.
- -- Juxta Glomerular Apparatus (JGA)
- A specialized region of nephron involved in regulating glomerular filtration rate through hormonal feedback.
- -- Counter Current Mechanism
- A mechanism involving opposing flows of filtrate and blood in the Henle's loop, enhancing concentration gradients necessary for water reabsorption.
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