Reference Terms
from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Excretory system
The excretory system is the system of an organism's body that performs the function of excretion, the bodily process of discharging wastes. The Excretory system is responsible for the elimination of wastes produced by homeostasis. There are several parts of the body that are involved in this process, such as sweat glands, the liver, the lungs and the kidney system.
Every human has two kidneys. Each kidney is made up of three sections: the renal cortex, the renal medulla and the renal pelvis. The blood arrives at the kidney via the renal artery, which splits into many afferent arterioles. These arterioles go to the Bowman's Capsules of nephrons, where the wastes are taken out of the blood by pressure filtration. Peritubular capillaries also surround the nephron so substances can be taken in and out of the blood. The renal cortex is the outer layer of the kidney and the medulla is the inner layer of the kidney. The renal pelvis takes urine away from the kidney via the ureter. Both of the ureters lead the urine into the body's only urinary bladder, which expands and sends nerve impulses when full. From there, urine is expelled through the urethra and out of the body.
Related Stories
1
2
Health & Medicine News
July 10, 2026
July 10, 2026 Scientists have redesigned a key piece of MRI hardware using metamaterials, allowing existing scanners to produce clearer images of difficult-to-see parts of the body in less time. The breakthrough could improve diagnoses, make scans more ...
July 10, 2026 A naturally occurring bacterium from amphibian intestines completely eliminated colorectal tumors in mice with a single treatment by both attacking cancer cells and activating the immune system. The findings point to a promising new type of cancer ...
July 9, 2026 Scientists found that a modified Mediterranean-style diet with low protein and just enough methionine helped mice live healthier lives while reducing body fat and frailty. Human data also linked lower animal protein intake to lower rates of obesity ...
July 9, 2026 A new study debunks the long-standing claim that baby rattlesnakes are more dangerous than adults. Researchers found that young rattlesnakes can control their venom just like adults, while adult snakes usually inject much more venom and cause more ...
July 9, 2026 Researchers found that mRNA cancer vaccines can recruit an unexpected immune cell to launch powerful tumor-fighting responses, overturning a long-held assumption about how the vaccines work. The discovery could lead to more effective cancer vaccines ...
July 9, 2026 A surprising discovery is reshaping scientists' understanding of how humans develop sharp central vision before birth. Instead of blue cone cells migrating away from the retina's center, the study found they transform into red and green cones under ...
July 9, 2026 Poison control calls involving semaglutide (Ozempic and Wegovy) soared after the drug was approved for weight management, with researchers linking the increase to accidental dosing mistakes rather than intentional misuse. Simple education about ...
July 8, 2026 Scientists have created a silicon chip that can write dozens of DNA sequences simultaneously using electricity and water-based enzymes, offering a cleaner alternative to conventional DNA manufacturing. The breakthrough could eventually support ...
July 8, 2026 Tiny silica nanoparticles engineered to seek out prostate cancer caused tumor cells to self-destruct and supercharged the immune system in preclinical mouse studies. Combined with immunotherapy, the treatment produced complete remissions in multiple ...
July 8, 2026 Researchers have cracked the code behind bacteria's ability to naturally manufacture multiple versions of powerful anti-cancer drugs. The discovery could make it much easier to engineer new cancer treatments inspired by nature, including improved ...
July 8, 2026 Scientists have discovered that creatine may strengthen one of the immune system's most important cancer-fighting pathways by energizing dendritic cells that activate killer T cells. The promising results could eventually help make immunotherapy ...
July 8, 2026 Intermittent fasting helped people lose as much weight as calorie restriction, but without the same feeling of constantly controlling their food intake. Researchers say that difference could make ...
Latest Headlines
updated 12:56 pm ET
July 8, 2026 A new once-daily weight-loss pill called orforglipron delivered better weight loss and blood sugar improvements for people with type 2 diabetes than the leading oral semaglutide in a major clinical ...
July 7, 2026 Scientists at the University of Illinois Chicago have turned an unlikely source into a potential new weapon against cancer: bacteria that naturally live inside tumors. They developed a peptide called ...
July 7, 2026 Almost half of the takeaway meals tested contained more salt than advertised, with some dishes delivering nearly twice the recommended daily limit in a single serving. Surprisingly, classic fish and ...
July 7, 2026 A new study suggests human hair grows in a way scientists never expected. Researchers found that hair is pulled upward by coordinated cell movements inside the follicle rather than simply being ...
July 7, 2026 Scientists have identified a molecular switch that may help explain how colorectal cancer becomes deadly. When levels of a gene-regulating factor called GATA6 drop, cancer cells can shed their normal ...
July 6, 2026 Researchers have uncovered a molecular “switch” that helps explain why exercise keeps aging muscles healthy. By reducing levels of a gene called DEAF1, physical activity allows older muscles to ...
July 6, 2026 Scientists have finally solved a nearly 30-year-old mystery surrounding two unusual molecules found in rye pollen that once showed an intriguing ...
July 6, 2026 Scientists are calling for a lunar quarantine facility where samples from Mars, the Moon, and beyond would be examined before being brought to Earth. ...
July 6, 2026 A new study suggests that apoB, a blood test that measures harmful cholesterol particles, is better than standard LDL cholesterol testing for deciding who needs more intensive treatment. Researchers ...
July 6, 2026 A large study found that pregnant women are exposed to dozens of common chemicals, many of which were associated with earlier births and lower birth ...