Tag: structures and functions related to the excretory system

Bright's disease is a classification for nephritis, a kidney condition. Nephritis is caused by inflammation of part of the kidneys, usually either the glomeruli or the spaces in between the renal tubules. Symptoms most commonly associated with Bright's disease are intense pain on either or both sides of the lower back along with a fever and nausea. Cloudy, dark, or bloody urine containing blood plasma proteins is also a hallmark sign of kidney problems. 

The excretory system of earthworm contains a pair of nephridia in every segment, except for the first three and the last ones. The three types of nephridia are: integumentary, septal, and pharyngeal. The integumentary nephridia lie attached to the inner side of the body wall in all segments except the first two. The septal nephridia are attached to both sides of the septa behind the 15th segment. The pharyngeal nephridia are attached to fourth, fifth and sixth segments.

In many higher crustaceans the excretory glands are located in the head. They are called antennal glands or maxillary glands, depending on whether they open at the base of the antennae or at the maxillae.

Chloragogen cells in annelids function similarly to the liver in vertebrates. The cells store glycogen and neutralize toxins, are yellowish in colour due to the presence of yellow granules, called as chloragosomes and are present in coelomic fluid of some annelids.

A flame cell is a specialized excretory cell, found in the simplest freshwater invertebrates, including flatworms, rotifers and nemerteans. These are the simplest animals to have a dedicated excretory system. Flame cells function like a kidney, removing waste materials.

The loop of Henle is incompletely developed or absent in many nephrons of the bird kidney. Hence, the concentrating capacity of the bird kidney is considerably less than that of the mammal. 

The term pelage is used to refer to the body hair of an animal as a complete coat. Its principal function is thermoregulation, it maintains a layer of dry air next to the skin and repels water, thus providing thermal insulation.

The excretory organ of cockroach is the Malpighian tubules. It is found at the junction of the midgut and hindgut and are about 150 in number. 

A kidney stone is a solid cluster made up of tiny crystals. 

Mesonephric kidney- Develop from middle part (mesonephros) of nephrotome plate and remaining part of nephrotome is destroyed. Only Bowman's capsule is found in nephrons, while remaining part is simple tubular, e.g., most of the fishes and adult amphibians.