Name: Excretory System  
Definition: The excretory system is responsible for maintaining body homeostasis by controlling fluid balances, and removal of waste products. (Ref; comparative anatomy).
Structure: The excretory sustem is made up of four parts: the kidneys, tubes (ureters) that connect to a storage site, the bladder, and an exit tube (urethra). The exit tube in some species is a shared cavity with the reproductive system, and is then called a cloaca. The renin-angiotensin system is found in the juxta-glomerular cells of the kidneys.


Function: The main functions of the excretory system is the control the amount of water in the body, and removal of metabolic wastes from the circulatory system. Some species with primative systems, like salamanders, use the skin for this function. Excretion of food wastes and bacteria from the intestines is separate from the excretion of fluid. Hormones from the endocrine system acting on the kidneys control the water and inorganic ions, such as Na+, K+, Ca++ balance in the body. Angiotensin II is an important regulator of blood pressure.


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