1. Angela Inés Arango Echeverry Science 7th grade Animals’ excretory systems

2. Excretory systems’ function Excretory systems regulate the chemical composition of body fluids by removing metabolic wastes and retaining the proper amounts of water, salts, and nutrients. 1. Collect water and filter body fluids. 2. Remove and concentrate waste products from body fluids and return other substances to body fluids as necessary for homeostasis. 3. Eliminate excretory products from the body.

3. Excretory Products Nitrogen Wastes Nitrogen wastes are a by product of protein metabolism. Ammonia is very toxic and usually is excreted directly by marine animals. It can be as ammonia, urea or uric acid. Water and Salt Balance The excretory system is responsible for regulating water balance in various body fluids. Osmorregulation refers to the state aquatic animals are in: they are surrounded by freshwater and must constantly deal with the influx of water.

4. Excretory Systems Not all animals use the same routes or excrete their wastes the same way humans do. Excretion applies to metabolic waste products that cross a plasma membrane. Elimination is the removal of feces.

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6. Invertebrate Excretory System Many invertebrates such as flatworms use a nephridium as their excretory organ. As fluid passes down the tubule, solutes are reabsorbed and returned to the body fluids.

7. Invertebrate Excretory Organs In complex invertebrates, body fluids are drawn into the Malpighian tubules by osmosis. Body fluids pass back into the body, nitrogenous wastes empty into the insect's gut. Water is reabsorbed and waste is expelled from the insect. Insects secret uric acid.

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9. Vertebrates Excretory Systems Marine Bony Fish drink water seawater at a rate of approx. 1% of their body weight/hour. The rate of water loss is high in marine bony fish. They use specialized cells in the gills excrete excess salt. Freshwater Bony Fish tend to gain water from their environment due to osmosis. They produce large quantities of dilute urine (approx. 1/3 of their body weight/day) and do not drink water. Salt-absorbing cells in their gills use active transport (energy is required) to pump salts into their body.

10. Vertebrates Excretory Systems Terrestrial animals usually need to conserve water. Ammonia is converted to urea, a compound the body can tolerate at higher concentrations than ammonia. ALL vertebrates have paired kidneys. Excretion is not the primary function of kidneys. Kidneys regulate body fluid levels as a primary duty, and remove wastes as a secondary one.

11. Vertebrates Excretory Systems Amphibians and mammals secrete urea that they form in their liver. Birds secrete uric acid that they make through large energy expenditure but little water loss. Reptiles secrete uric acid. It has kidneys and ureters to get rid of liquid wastes. Snakes can molt or shed their skin.

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