Excretory System

Front 1

Kidney

Back 1

in vertebrates, one of a pair of organs that filters waste from the blood (which is excreted in urine) and adjusts the concentrations of salts in the blood

Front 2

Ureter

Back 2

in mammals, a pair of muscular tubes that carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder

Front 3

Bladder

Back 3

A membranous sac in humans and other animals, in which urine is collected for excretion

Front 4

Urethra

Back 4

the tube through which urine exits the bladder and the body

Front 5

Nephron

Back 5

microscopic tube-like filtration unit found in the kidneys that filters and reabsorbs various substances from the blood; produces urine

Front 6

Glomerulus

Back 6

in the kidney, a fine network of capillaries within the Bowman's capsule of the nephron; arising from the renal artery, the walls of the glomerulus act as a filtration device

Front 7

Bowman's Capsule

Back 7

in the kidney, cap-like formation at the top of each nephron that serves as a filtrtion structure; surrounds the glomerulus

Front 8

Collecting Duct

Back 8

in the kidneys, large, pipe-like channel arising from the tubule connected to the Bowman's capsule in the nephron; functions as a water-conservation device, reabsorbing water from the filtrate in the nephron

Front 9

Proximal Tubule

Back 9

in the kidney, tubular portion of the nephron that lies between the Bowman's capsule and the loop of Henle; main function is reabsorption of water and solutes, as well as secretion of hydrogen ions

Front 10

Loop of Henle

Back 10

in the kidney, tubular portion of the nephron that lies between the proximal tubule and the distal tubule; main function is reabsorption of water and ions

Front 11

Distal Tubule

Back 11

in the kidney, tubular portion of the nephron that lies between the loop of Henle and the proximal tubule; main function is reabsorption of water and solutes, and secretion of various substances

Front 12

Antidiuretic Hormone (ADH)

Back 12

hormone regulated by the hyphothalamus and released by the pituitary gland that increases the permeability of the distal tubule and the colecting duct in the nephrons of the kidneys, allowing more water to be reabsorbed into the blood from the filtrate

Front 13

Aldosterone

Back 13

a type of mineralocorticoid hormone secreted by the adrenal cortex; stimulates the distal tubule and collecting duct of the kidneys to increase the absorption of sodium into the bloodstream, which is followed by the passive absorption of water and chloride

Front 14

Renal Artery

Back 14

blood vessel that originates from the aorta and delivers blood to the kidneys; splits into a fine network of capillaries (the glomerulus) within the Bowman's capsule of the nephron

Front 15

Renal Vein

Back 15

blood vessel that drains from the kidney; returns to the body the solutes and water reabsorbed by the kidney