In what ways have body cells adapted to the task of absorbing and excreting large amounts of materials?

Answer 1

Try this for a basic, high school level, explanation of how cells are adapted to the tasks of absorbing/excreting large amounts of materials:

Cell membranes are barriers to the passage of some kinds of substances. Some cells, though, need to absorb and excrete large amounts of materials, so they have adapted by using processes like facilitated diffusion, where transport proteins help certain molecules to pass across cell membranes. Also, the process of active transport, which requires the expenditure of chemical energy supplied by the cell, can move solutes across membranes, even against the direction usually indicated by natural diffusion. Cells use exocytosis to excrete the contents of a membrane vesicle that forms around a capsule of cellular exports, or even "trash" the cell needs to excrete. Cells can also then incorporate the vesicle membrane's components into the cell membrane. By endocytosis, a cell can bring in what it needs, too. The membrane brings a capsule of extra-cellular material which folds into the membrane, forms a vesicle, and then spills its contents into the cytoplasm for a cell to use.

Answer 2

Body cells have adapted by having specialized transport proteins on their cell membranes that facilitate the absorption of essential nutrients and the excretion of waste products. They also have larger surface areas for increased exchange of materials and organelles like lysosomes for breaking down and eliminating waste. Additionally, some cells can regulate their membrane permeability to control the movement of substances.