THE MECHANISM OF OSMOREGULATION

OSMOREGULATION
Is the maintenance of the osmotic pressure in the blood. Controlled by negative feedback involving the control of water & mineral salts in the distal tubule & the collecting duct. When the osmotic pressure in the body is high, due to little intake of water, excessive sweating or ingestion of a large amount of salty food, the osmoreceptors in the hypothalamus is stimulated.

 Nerve impulses are generated & sent to: the pituitary gland to stimulate it to increase the production of antidiuretic hormone (ADH) and the adrenal gland to reduce the production of aldosterone transported to the kidneys. ADH increase the permeability of the walls of the distal convoluted tubules & the collecting duct to reabsorbed water into the blood by osmosis. Aldosterone causes a reduction in the absorption in the absorption of sodium chloride. A small volume of concentration urine is therefore produced.

 When the osmotic pressure in the body is low and there is too much of water in the body, ADH production is decreased & aldosterone production is increased. The distal convoluted tubules & collecting duct become less permeable to water & sodium chloride is not reabsorbed. A large volume of diluted urine is produced.

ADH increases: Distal covoluted tubules & collecting duct more permeable to water, causing the medulla to absorb more water from the collecting ducts Aldosterone decreases: More sodium chloride is discharged increase Decrease The urine produced is concentrated. Normal blood osmotic pressure or correct water potential Normal blood osmotic pressurre or correct water potential

ADH decrease: Distal covoluted tubules & collecting duct less permeable to water, causing the medulla to absorb less water from the collecting ducts Decrease Aldosterone increases: More sodium chloride is absorbed A large volume of diluted urine is produced.

increase

The Consequences of Impaired Kidney Function

Kidney impairment is caused by poisons, kidney diseases, high blood pressure or high blood glucose level Prolonged impairment results in kidney failure. Kidney failure occurs when the nephrons are destroyed. Wastes products in the blood must not be allowed to accumulate as they become toxic at the higher concentration.

 These wastes products can be removed by a machine which functions as an artificial kidney. The machines separate the solute molecules based on their rate of diffusion across a semipermeable membrane. The process is called haemodialysis. Patients can also choose to go through kidney transplant.

 During haemodialysis: the patient blood which is drawn from an artery, is channelled into a dialysing tubing which is semipermeable in nature, and placed into a dialysis fluid. The dialysis fluid contains a carefully regulated amount of dissolved mineral salts and glucose, with a composition similar to that in the blood plasma (minus the nitrogenous contents)

 A concentration gradient is set up and nitrogenous wastes, excess mineral salts and other toxins diffuse from patients blood into the dialysis fluid. After a few hours, the clean filtered blood is returned to the patient through a vein in the same arm. The dialysis fluid is changed regularly to remove the wastes substances & to maintain the diffusion gradient between the patients blood & the dialysis fluid

 Kidney failure patients have to go through haemodialysis for the rest of their lives. Kidney transplant involves the replacement of the impaired kidney with a donor kidney.

The Regulation of Blood Sugar (Glucose) Level

When the blood glucose level exceeds the normal level, the B-celss in the islets of Langerhans found in the pancreas secretes a hormone, insulin into the blood. Insulin converts any excess glucose into insoluble glycogen, which is then stored in the liver & muscles. The glucose level in the blood would then decrease thereby return returning the glucose level in the blood to its normal level

 When the blood glucose level falls below the normal level, the -cells of the islets of Langerhans in the pancreas secrete another hormone, glucagon into the blood, which converts glycogen back to glucose, thereby raising & returning the glucose level in blood to its normal level

insulin
Glucose Rise Glycogen Falls

Normal blood glucose level (norm)

Normal blood glucose level (norm)

Falls

glucagon
Glucose Glycogen

Rises

The Regulation of Body Temperature

Regulated by balancing the heat produce from the metabolism inside the body against the heat lost from the body.

Sweating Vasodilation Relaxtion of the erector muscles Reduced metabolic rate Decrease No shivering increase Increased heat through convection, conduction & radiation Normal Body Temperature Normal Body Temperatur

No sweating Vasoconstriction increase Contractionn of the erector muscles Decrease Increased metabolic rate Shivering Decreased heat through convection, conduction & radiation

Practising a Healthy Lifestyle

Drug abuse is the taking of drugs excessively, not under a doctors prescription. Drug abuse can cause high blood pressure, heart problems, damage to liver and weaken the immune system. Drug can also cause brain damage & mental problem Alcohol is depressant. Excessive consumption of alcohol produces vomiting & breathing difficulties. The brain becomes anaesthetised & the person becomes unconscious or coma.