OSMOREGULATION

• - Osmoregulation is the regulation of osmotic pressure of tissue

fluid and blood at constant or near constant optimum level . This
is essential for body to function efficiently.
• - Carried out by hypothalamus and pituitary gland
• - Osmoregulation is achieved mainly by regulating the
volume of urine production and excretion from the
kidneys
• - This process is achieved a negative feedback mechanism
• - The hormone responsible for osmoregulation is the
antidiuretic hormone (ADH)
• - ADH produced in hypothalamus and stored in posterior
pituitary gland before it is released in bloodstream
• - Osmoreceptor cells in the hypothalamus monitor the
blood osmotic pressure
• - Blood osmotic pressure increase when a person sweats a
lot during hot weather or drinks too little water
• - A decrease in blood volume occurs during haemorrhage
or severe dehydration
• - When water content falls below normal range , the
concentration of solutes in the blood increase and tis
causes an increase in blood osmotic pressure
 1) Drinks too much of water

Blood osmotic pressure decrease

below the normal range.

7) An increase in blood osmotic

pressure creates a negative
2) Osmoreceptor cells in the feedback in the hypothalamus
hypothalamus are less stimulated.
hypothalamus
3) The pituitary gland is less
6) The result is an increase
stimulated,less ADH is secreted
in the blood osmotic
from the pituitary gland Pituitary pressure and a return to the
gland normal range

Adrenal gland stimulated to

release aldosterone 5) This means less water is
reabsorbed from the filtrate into
4) The lower level of ADH the blood. As a result , urine
causes the distal convoluted contain more water and is lighter
tubule and collecting ducts to in colour
be less permeable to water
 1) Drinks too little water

Blood osmotic pressure

increase above normal range

7) The lower the osmotic pressure creates a

2) Osmoreceptor cells in the
hypothalamus detect the increase in blood
osmotic pressure and are stimulated
3) Osmoreceptor cells in the
hypothalamus stimulate the pituitary gland
to secrete more ADH into blood
negative feedback mechanism which reduces
the activity of the hypothalamic osmoreceptor
cells, which in turn, stop stimulating the
pituitary gland to secrete more ADH
hypothalamus
6) The result is a decrease
in the blood osmotic
Pituitary
pressure and a return to a
gland
normal range

Adrenal gland is not stimulated

to release aldosterone
5) This means more water is
4) The higher level of ADH reabsorbed from the filtrate into the
causes the distal convoluted blood. Since more water content of the
tubule and collecting duct to urine decreases. Urine becomes more
be more permeable to water concentrated and darker in colour