excretion
Sign in to savethumb|Mammals excrete urine through the urinary system. Excretion is elimination of metabolic waste, which is an essential process in all organisms. In vertebrates, this is primarily carried out by the lungs, kidneys, and skin. This is in contrast with secretion, where the substance may have specific tasks after leaving the cell. For example, placental mammals expel urine from the bladder through the urethra, which is part of the excretory system. Unicellular organisms discharge waste products directly through the surface of the cell. Another example would be how mammals release solid waste (f
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Excretion is the process by which organisms eliminate metabolic waste products that their bodies produce during normal functioning. In vertebrates like mammals, this waste is removed primarily through the lungs, kidneys, and skin—for example, mammals expel urine through the urinary system and solid waste through the digestive system.
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8 sectionsContents
- Processes across various types of life
- Plants
- Animals
- Birds
- Insects
- See also
- References
- External links
thumb|Mammals excrete urine through the urinary system. Excretion is elimination of metabolic waste, which is an essential process in all organisms. In vertebrates, this is primarily carried out by the lungs, kidneys, and skin. This is in contrast with secretion, where the substance may have specific tasks after leaving the cell. For example, placental mammals expel urine from the bladder through the urethra, which is part of the excretory system. Unicellular organisms discharge waste products directly through the surface of the cell. Another example would be how mammals release solid waste (feces) through the anus during defecation.
During activities such as cellular respiration, several chemical reactions take place in the body. These are known as metabolism. These chemical reactions produce waste products such as carbon dioxide, water, salts, urea and uric acid. Accumulation of these wastes beyond a level inside the body is harmful to the body. The excretory organs remove these wastes. This process of removal of metabolic waste from the body is known as excretion.