The kidney biology

• what is osmoregulation?

  The balance of constant water levels in the bodily fluids of an organism
• Why is osmoregulation important?

  - Prevents cells bursting or shrinking

  - Cellular reactions occur in aqueous solution.
• Describe thr function of the kidney

  - Removes toxic waste

  - Maintains bodily water levels

  - Controls volume and concentration of urine
• What does the renal artery do?

  Brings blood to the kidneys
• What does the renal vein do?

  Drains blood from the kidney
• What does the ureter do?

  Takes urine to the bladder from the kidneys
• What does the urethra do?

  Releases urine from the bladder
• Describe the structure of a Kidney

  - Outer cortex

  - Pelvis

  - Inner medulla
• What is a nephron?

  The funtional unit of the kidney responsible for filtering blood, producing urine and selective reabsorption.
• Name all the parts of the nephron

  Capillary knot

  Bowman's capsule

  tubule

  collecting duct

  Areriole
• Name the stages involved in the formation of urine

  - Filtration

  - Selective reabsorption

  - Osmoregulation
• Why is there a build up of pressure in the capillary knot?

  The arteriole givung blood is wider than the arteriole taking blood
• Why do large molecules remain in the blood?

  They are too large to fit in the capillary walls
• What substances are selectively reabsorbed from the nephron tubule?


  All sugars

  Some water

  Some ions
• What is urine?

  Waste product of the kidney

  Contains urea, excess water, excess ions.
• How is the concentration and volume of urine controlled?

  By the secretion of anti-diuretic hormone
• What produces ADH?

  Pituitary gland
• How does ADH affect the kidneys?

  Causes the kidneys to reabsorbed more water into the blood

  More concentrated urine is produced
• Describe the composition of blood

  Cells

  Water

  Proteins

  Glucose

  Salts

  Urea
• Describe the composition of filtrate 


  Water

  Glucose

  Salts

  Urea
• Describe the composition of urine

  Water

  Salts

  Urea
• What does glucose in the urine indicate?

  Diabetes
• What may blood or cells in the urine indicate?

  Kidney disease
• What is kidney dialysis?

  A machine that rtificially filters a patient's blood.
• What is the dialysis fluid called?

  Dialysate
• What is kidney rejection?

  When the immune system detects a foreign tissue and attacks it.