Term Definition

Excretion The removal of waste products of metabolism from an organism

Osmoregulation Control of water potential and solute potential in an organism

Examples of excretory product of mammals

- CO2, Urea, Water

Reason for excretion in all living organisms

- Waste substances are toxic

Discuss the relationship between the excretion of nitrogenous waste

products and the habitat of an organism
- Waste product used is related to water availability in the habitat
- Birds and mammals adapted to conserve water but not freshwater fish
- Freshwater fish excrete ammonia
- Highly toxic
- Must be diluted in large volume of water
- Mammals excrete urea
- Less toxic
- Can be more concentrated if needed
- Birds excrete uric acid
- Loss of very little water
- Smaller mass of water is an advantage in flight

Draw and label a diagram of the structure of the human kidney

Draw and label a diagram showing the structure of a glomerulus and
associated nephron

Explain the process of ultrafiltration

- Difference in diameter of afferent and efferent arteriole
- Leads to blood in glomerulus at high pressure
- Capillary wall has pores
- Basement membrane has pores
- Pores in basement prevent large molecules from leaving blood
- Passive process

What substances are selectively reabsorbed

- Water, Salts, Glucose, Amino acids

Mode of transport in selective reabsorption

- Water: Osmosis
- Salts: Active transport/facilitated diffusion

Explain how the loop of Henle assists in osmoregulation

- Na+ ions diffuse out of lower region of ascending limb
- Na+ ions actively transported out of upper region of ascending limb
- Creates salt concentration gradient in medalla
- Counter current multiplier
- Enables possible reabsorption of water from collecting duct
Explain how the structure of the nephron and its associated blood vessels
enable the kidney to carry out its functions
- Osmoregulation
- Ultrafiltration in the glomerulus
- Basement membrane prevents loss of large molecules and blood cells
- High blood pressure in glomerulus due to larger afferent than efferent arteriole
- Selective reabsorption of glucose in proximal convoluted tubule
- Microvilli gives large surface area
- Water reabsorbed in descending limb of loop of Henle
- Active transport of Sodium ions out of ascending limb
- Ascending limb is impermeable to water
- Loop of Henle creates solute gradient in medulla
- Distal convoluted tubule adjusts pH
- Water reabsorbed in collecting duct
- Collecting duct permeability to water varies due to number of aquaporins
- Osmoregulation by varying the amount of water reabsorbed in the collecting duct

Explain how the kidney retains and eliminates substances

- Ultrafiltration occurs in the glomerulus
- Basement membrane acts as filter
- Preventing proteins and cells from passing
- Filtered substances pass to the Bowman’s capsule
- To proximal convoluted tubule (PCT)
- Where selective reabsorption takes place
- In PCT, all glucose/amino acids are reabsorbed
- In PCT, most water is reabsorbed
- Surrounding the loop of Henle, is an area of high solute concentration
- In distal convoluted tubule, ions are exchanged between filtrate and blood
- Collecting duct has role in osmoregulation
- ADH regulates the amount of water reabsorbed
- Substances not reabsorbed are eliminated as urine

Explain the presence of glucose in the urine of a diabetic person and its
absence in the urine of a person with type I diabetes that is treated
- Glucose filtered out of blood plasma in glomerulus
- Glucose reabsorbed from filtrate in proximal convoluted tubule
- By active transport (Selective reabsorption)
- Specific pumps for reabsorption of glucose
- In diabetic patient glucose concentration in plasma is high
- Not all glucose can be reabsorbed in PCT
- No glucose reabsorption after the PCT
- Glucose still present at the end of nephron
- Type I diabetes treated with insulin
- Insulin reduces the glucose concentration of blood
- All glucose reabsorbed from filtrate in Type I diabetics if treated
Compare the composition of the blood in renal artery and renal vein
- Renal artery more oxygenated than blood in renal vein
- Renal artery contain more urea than blood in renal vein
- Renal artery contains less carbon dioxide than blood in renal vein
- Renal artery contains more glucose than blood in renal vein
- Osmolarity at normal level in the renal vein whereas in renal artery is variable

Explain the role of the medulla and the collecting duct of the kidney in the
maintenance of water balance in blood
- Collecting duct has water channels/aquaporins
- High solute concentration fo medulla
- Reabsorption of water allows excretion of concentrated urine
- Secretion of ADH increases permeability of collecting duct to water

Describe the role of ADH in osmoregulation

- Osmoregulation is control of water balance in organisms
- ADH regulates water levels of the blood
- Released when water in blood is too low
- Increases the permeability of the collecting ducts to water
- Leads to more aquaporins
- Urine is more concentrated

Explain the main role of Loop of Henle/Collecting duct and ADH in

maintaining water balance of the body
- Increase solute concentration of the medulla
- Reclamation of salts and water
- Counter current multiplier
- Absorbing water from the urine
- Promotes the absorption of water in the collecting ducts

Explain the role of the nephron in maintaining the water balance of the
blood in the human body
- Ultrafiltration in the glomerulus produces filtrate
- Most of the water in filtrate is reabsorbed in proximal convoluted tubule
- Water reabsorbed from filtrate in descending loop of Henle
- Pituitary gland secretes ADH if blood solute concentration is too high
- ADH makes the collecting duct more permeable to water
- ADH moves aquaporins into the membranes
- More water reabsorbed from filtrate
- Higher concentration of urea in urine
- With lower ADH, less water is reabsorbed in collecting duct
- More volume of urine
- Water reabsorption in collecting duct due to high solute concentration of medulla
- Active transport of Na+ ions from filtrate in ascending limb of loop of Henle