Nephrons And Osmoregulation

Question 1

what is osmoregulation

Answer 1

the control of the balance of water and mineral salts in the body

Question 2

why is osmoregulation important

Answer 2

if cells may take in or lose too much water by osmosis. it can damage them

Question 3

what is the function of the renal artery

Answer 3

to carry blood from the body to the arteries

Question 4

what is the function of the renal vein

Answer 4

to carry blood with waste removed back into the body

Question 5

what is the function of the kidney

Answer 5

to remove substances from the blood

Question 6

what is the function of the ureter

Answer 6

to carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder

Question 7

what are the waste products in urine

Answer 7

excess water, urea (toxic and poisonous) and excess mineral ions

Question 8

where is urine produced, in more detail

Answer 8

in microscopic structures in the kidneys called nephrons. there are about 1 million nephrons in each kidney

Question 9

what does the glomerulus do

Answer 9

acts like a sieve and filters blood to produce glomerular filtrate

Question 10

when blood enters from the renal artery, where does it first go to

Answer 10

the glomerulus which is a network of capillaries

Question 11

what is the effect of the glomerulus

Answer 11

small molecules filer through like water, glucose and urea whereas large molecules like proteins and red blood cells stay in the blood

Question 12

what is the glomerulus surrounded by

Answer 12

the bowmans capsule

Question 13

how is the glomerulus and the bowmans capsule adapted to their function

Answer 13

they have gaps and spaces between them which are large enough for small molecules to filter through but small enough for large molecules not to

Question 14

describe the structure of the urinal system

Answer 14

• renal artery carries blood to arteries and kidneys
• blood is filtered by kidneys
• filtered blood flows through renal vein back into body
• waste carried from kidneys to bladder by ureter
• waste is excreted from bladder through urethra

Question 15

what specifically happens between the glomerulus and the bowman’s capsule

Answer 15

• the liquid part of the blood containing water, urea and glucose
• is forced out of the glomerulus and into the bowman’s capsule at high pressures
• this is ultrafiltration
• bigger molecules like proteins and blood cells can’t pass through the membranes so are not forced out