5.4.2 Osmoregulation

• What is osmoregulation?

  Maintaining water and salt concentration
• Osmoregulation is only necessary for freshwater animals

  False
• Freshwater fish drink large amounts of water to osmoregulate

  False
• What happens if cells become too concentrated or too dilute?

  They become damaged
• Match the osmotic challenge with the correct animal:

  Excess water influx ↔️ Freshwater animals

  Water loss ↔️ Saltwater animals
• Which excretory organs are involved in osmoregulation?

  Kidneys, skin, lungs, liver
• Osmoregulation maintains a constant water and salt concentration for proper cell function


  True
• Osmoregulation is crucial because it maintains a constant internal water and salt concentration
• Compare the osmoregulation strategies of freshwater and saltwater fish

  1️⃣ Water intake in freshwater fish: through gills and food

  2️⃣ Water intake in saltwater fish: drinking water

  3️⃣ Urine in freshwater fish: large volume, dilute

  4️⃣ Urine in saltwater fish: small volume, concentrated
• Freshwater and saltwater animals face different osmotic challenges
• What do saltwater animals drink to maintain osmoregulation?

  Seawater
• The kidneys regulate the volume and composition of urine
• Osmoconformers adjust their internal osmotic pressure to match the environment


  True
• Osmoregulators actively control their internal osmotic pressure
• Saltwater fish excrete small volumes of concentrated
• Why is osmoregulation important for cell function?

  Maintains water and salt balance
• Freshwater fish excrete large volumes of dilute
• Saltwater animals excrete excess water through concentrated urine

  True
• Freshwater fish excrete large volumes of dilute urine
• Match the excretory organ with its function:

  Kidneys ↔️ Produce urine, regulate water balance

  Skin ↔️ Excretes water and salts through sweat

  Lungs ↔️ Remove carbon dioxide and water vapor
• How do freshwater fish obtain water?

  Through gills and food
• What happens if cells become too concentrated or too dilute?

  They become damaged
• Freshwater fish actively take in salts and excrete excess water

  True
• What is the osmotic challenge faced by freshwater animals?

  Excess water influx
• Match the excretory organ with its function in osmoregulation:

  Kidneys ↔️ Filter blood to produce urine

  Skin ↔️ Excrete excess water and salts

  Lungs ↔️ Remove carbon dioxide and water vapor

  Liver ↔️ Metabolize waste products
• What are the two main categories of organisms based on osmoregulation?

  Osmoconformers and osmoregulators
• What is an example of an osmoconformer?

  Jellyfish
• Match the species with its osmoregulation mechanism:

  Freshwater Fish ↔️ Excrete dilute urine, absorb salts

  Saltwater Fish ↔️ Drink water, excrete salts

  Mammals ↔️ Regulate urine production, sweat glands