What is the Difference Between Elimination and Excretion?
🆚 Go to Comparative Table 🆚Elimination and excretion are processes involved in removing waste materials and substances from the body. However, they differ in their specific roles and mechanisms:
- Elimination: This is the process by which waste and indigestible materials are removed from the body. It includes the removal of absorbed substances through metabolic pathways as well as through excretion. Elimination can be accomplished through metabolism, where the medication is broken down into inactive metabolites, or through excretion, which is when the intact medication is transported out of the body.
- Excretion: This pertains to the elimination of xenobiotics (foreign substances) and their metabolites by specific excretory organs. Excretion involves only in the removal of metabolic waste from the body. The main routes of excretion are via urine, feces, and exhaled air, and the primary organ systems involved in excretion are the urinary system, gastrointestinal system, and respiratory system.
In summary, elimination is a broader term that includes both the removal of waste materials and substances through metabolic pathways and excretion, while excretion specifically refers to the removal of metabolic waste and foreign substances by certain excretory organs.
On this pageWhat is the Difference Between Elimination and Excretion? Comparative Table: Elimination vs Excretion
Comparative Table: Elimination vs Excretion
Here is a table comparing the differences between elimination and excretion:
Feature | Elimination | Excretion |
---|---|---|
Definition | Elimination is the removal of waste and indigestible material from the body. | Excretion is the removal of metabolic waste from the body. |
Process | Involved in the removal of waste and indigestible food material from the body. | Involved only in the removal of metabolic waste from the body. |
Types of Removal | Removal of undigested materials through feces. | Removal of nitrogenous wastes through urine, sweat, respiration, tears, saliva, and bile. |
Main pathways | Feces is the main elimination pathway in animals. | Urine is the main excretion pathway in animals. |
In summary, elimination is the process of removing waste and indigestible material from the body, while excretion is a specific type of elimination that involves the removal of metabolic waste from the body.
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- Egestion vs Excretion
- Secretion vs Excretion
- Excretion vs Osmoregulation
- Elimination vs Substitution Reaction
- Ingestion vs Egestion
- Filtration vs Reabsorption
- Tubular Reabsorption vs Tubular Secretion
- Urea vs Urine
- Exudate vs Transudate
- Extinction vs Extirpation
- Inhalation vs Exhalation
- Endocytosis vs Exocytosis
- Alpha vs Beta Elimination Reaction
- Transpiration vs Sweating
- Filtration vs Purification
- Diuresis vs Natriuresis
- Constipation vs Diarrhea
- Metabolism vs Digestion
- Digestion vs Absorption