Excretory system parts and characteristics

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Anthony Golden
Excretory system parts and characteristics

The excretory system is also called the urinary system, since, makes up the group of organs through which humans can eliminate sweat and urine from their body.

This excretory system is really important for human survival, because if substances that are not essential for the body accumulate, the individual could present infections, poisonings, and even organ failure.

Therefore, it is necessary to maintain good hygiene so that the excretory system remains in good condition and can perform its functions optimally..

When the excretory system works properly, the state of health is also good, therefore, diseases such as kidney stones, kidney failure, nephritis, among others, are avoided..

The waste that the excretory system discharges are those of the nitrogenous type, That is, the type of waste that, if accumulated, carries many health risks, and this implies the presence of irregular values ​​in creatinine and uric acid, since these are expelled through the urine..

Excretory system: parts and characteristics

The excretory system is made up of several organs, whose function is to filter the blood and dispose of substances that are unwanted through the channels available in the body for it.

Therefore, the cardiovascular system is involved, since this allows the blood to carry out a process of constant purification and oxygenation in the lungs and then be sent to the body.

If the excretory system fails, the human being can suffer serious consequences, even the loss of life itself.

In the functioning of the excretory system, there are two processes that are essential:

  1. Filtering organs: made up of the kidneys, which carry out the process of filtering and producing urine.
  2. Ejection ducts: There are several, starting with the process carried out by the bladder, which is where urine is stored and is subsequently expelled through the ureters. The urethra or hole for urination is also involved.

Parts of the excretory system

Parts of the excretory system include the following:

1. Kidneys

The kidneys are made up of two organs that help filter the blood and produce urine..

They are located near the spine, exactly where the lumbar vertebrae are.

Around the kidneys is a fatty or adipose tissue that allows them to have a good temperature and thus protect them.

The shape of the kidneys is similar to those of two beans, and Its measurements are usually 12 centimeters wide by 5 long and 3 thick. Each of the kidneys weighs approximately 150 grams.

It should be noted that inside the kidneys there are two differentiated areas. One of them is the bark, which has a yellow color. The other area corresponds to the medulla, red in color, and located towards the interior.

Under the cortex and medulla is the renal pelvis. This is responsible for storing urine and directing it towards the ureter. In said renal pelvis there is also an artery and a vein.

As for the outer part of the kidneys, it should be noted that the nephrons are located there, that is, small filters made up of blood vessels that have the function of filtering the blood so that urine can be produced.

In turn, each of these nephrons has three microstructures called: Malpighi's glomerulus, Bowman's capsule, and renal tubule..

So that, kidneys are critical to human survival, since they act by allowing the blood to have appropriate levels of essential nutrients, as well as glucose, salts and other.

In addition to functioning as a regulatory organ, it also facilitates the necessary purification process in the body, discarding substances that may cause damage if stored inside the human body. One of these is urea, or uric acid.

If the kidneys do not work well, human beings could not live. That is why many people require transplants that, if not done, could lead to the end of life.

2. Excretory pathways

These are made up of cavities and ducts through which urine flows and is eliminated. The excretory pathways there are three: the ureters, the bladder and the urethra.

Ureters

They are made up of two tubes that allow communication between the renal pelvis and the bladder. These tubes have a muscle fiber, nerve endings, and a muscular epithelium, all of which work to push urine into the bladder..

The bladder

This organ is hollow and its function is to store urine, which reaches there through the ureters, which, in turn, receive it from the kidneys.

This organ is elastic, which allows it to expand in order to store a considerable amount of liquid, since its walls are made up of muscle fiber. That is why they can store up to a liter of urine.

Although it has all this storage capacity, the desire to urinate is felt when it is close to 500 cubic centimeters.

Urethra

It is a tube through which urine passes before it is totally excreted from the body. This tube is located in the lower part of the bladder and has two sphincters of muscle tissue.

As for men and women, it could be said that the urethra has some differences, since, While the female urethra is 3 centimeters long, the male urethra can be up to 20 centimeters long..

In addition, in the case of women, the urethra begins from the base of the bladder to the labia minora, and in the case of men it has three parts, namely: the pelvic, membranous and spongy portion..

3. Sweat glands

Sweat glands count as part of the excretory system because urea, for example, is not only excreted through urine, but also through sweat, which is a liquid made up of water, salts, minerals, and urea..

Sweat glands are found throughout the skin, although they are mostly found in the armpits, head and palms of the hands.

As can be seen, the excretory system is very important for the proper functioning of the body, For this reason, it is recommended to maintain a healthy diet, ingest enough water to help the kidneys fulfill their function, have a good body cleaning and exercise.


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