Kidneys, ureters, bladder and urethra remove metabolic waste and balance water.
Kidneys filter around 180 litres of blood per day to produce 1 to 2 litres of urine. The bladder stores urine. Other excretory organs: lungs (CO2), skin (sweat) and liver (bile pigments).
Kidneys also regulate blood pressure, pH and red cell production via erythropoietin. Urine composition reflects needs.
Example: kidney stones form from crystallised minerals.
Kidneys, ureters, bladder and urethra remove metabolic waste and balance water.
Excretory System is one of the 51 topics in Human Physiology. It is rated Beginner, so it suits learners who are starting out in biology. Related topics in this area include Skeletal System, Nephron Function, Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone System.
Dialysis replaces kidney function.
Excretory System is a Beginner topic, so no earlier topic is required. Other Beginner topics in Human Physiology that pair well with it include Homeostasis, Tissues and Organs, Skeletal System.
The closest topics to Excretory System are Skeletal System, Nephron Function, Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone System, Circulatory System. Comparing them side by side is a good way to see how the ideas connect.
Read the summary and the in-depth section, then use the quick check on the interactive lesson for Excretory System. To practise the whole of Human Physiology, use the Human Physiology quiz.
Excretory System: Kidneys, ureters, bladder and urethra remove metabolic waste and balance water. Skeletal System: Bones, cartilage and joints that support the body, protect organs and allow movement. Read both side by side and note what each one explains.
First, read the summary and write the definition in your own words. Second, read the in-depth section and note any example. Third, compare it with Skeletal System and explain the difference aloud. Finally, take the Human Physiology quiz and come back to this page for any question you miss.
Bones, cartilage and joints that support the body, protect organs and allow movement.
❤️ Human PhysiologyFiltration, selective reabsorption and secretion in the nephron form urine.
❤️ Human PhysiologyA hormone cascade that raises blood pressure by vasoconstriction and sodium retention.
❤️ Human PhysiologyThe heart, blood vessels and blood that transport materials around the body.
❤️ Human Physiology