11.

3 The Kidney & Osmoregulation

Essential Idea: All animals excrete nitrogenous
waste products and some animals also balance
water and solute concentrations.

Nature of Science: Curiosity

about particular phenomena—
investigations were carried out
to determine how desert
animals prevent water loss in
their wastes.

http://www.bio.miami.edu/tom/courses/protected/ECK/CH14/figure-14-17.jpg

By Darren Aherne
11.3 The Kidney & Osmoregulation Essential Idea: All animals excrete nitrogenous waste
products and some animals also balance water and solute concentrations.

Assessment Statement Guidance

11.3 U1 Animals are either osmoregulators or
osmoconformers.
11.3 U2 The Malpighian tubule system in insects and the
kidney carry out osmoregulation and removal of
nitrogenous wastes.
11.3 U3 The composition of blood in the renal artery is
different from that in the renal vein.
11.3 U4 The ultrastructure of the glomerulus and
Bowman’s capsule facilitate ultrafiltration.
11.3 U5 The proximal convoluted tubule selectively
reabsorbs useful substances by active transport.
11.3 U6 The loop of Henle maintains hypertonic
conditions in the medulla.
11.3 U7 ADH controls reabsorption of water in the ADH will be used in preference to
collecting duct. vasopressin.
11.3 U8 The length of the loop of Henle is positively
correlated with the need for water conservation
in animals.
11.3 The Kidney & Osmoregulation Essential Idea: All animals excrete nitrogenous waste
products and some animals also balance water and solute concentrations.

Assessment Statement Guidance

11.3 U9 The type of nitrogenous waste in
animals is correlated with evolutionary
history and habitat.
11.3 A1 Application: Consequences of
dehydration and overhydration.
11.3 A2 Application: Treatment of kidney failure
by hemodialysis or kidney transplant.
11.3 A3 Application: Blood cells, glucose,
proteins and drugs are detected in
urinary tests.
11.3 S1 Skill: Drawing and labelling a diagram of
the human kidney.
11.3 S 2 Skill: Annotation of diagrams of the The diagram of the nephron should include glomerulus,
Bowman’s capsule, proximal convoluted tubule, loop of
nephron. Henle, distal convoluted tubule; the relationship
between the nephron and the collecting duct should be
included.
11.3 U1 Animals are either osmoregulators or osmoconformers.

Osmolarity means how much solutes are dissolved in a

solution.

Osmoregulators: maintain homeostasis for osmolarity-

they keep their internal solute concentrations within a
narrow range.
Examples: terrestrial animals, freshwater fish,
bony marine fish, marine mammals Ligers are osmoregulators. They
maintain homeostasis for
Osmoconformers: Let their osmolarity match that of the solutes in their blood.
environment. http://thingd-media-
ec5.thefancy.com/default/289660058877299361_0a37540
Examples: jellyfish, sea stars 98a27.jpg

Jellyfish are osmoconformers; the

solute concentration of their cells is
the same as the ocean.

http://fc06.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2012/135/d/6/jellyfish
_1_by_archangelical_stock-d4zy2bj.jpg
11.U9 The type of nitrogenous waste in animals is correlated Nitrogenous wastes
with evolutionary history and habitat. are poisonous to
animals. They must
be excreted!
Where does nitrogenous waste come from?
• Breakdown of proteins (amino acids)
Forms ammonia (NH4)
• Breakdown of nucleic acids
Ammonia is toxic & must
be excreted

Animal lives in terrestrial Animal lives in water

environment (needs to environment (no need
conserve water) to conserve water)

Convert NH4 to urea Convert NH4 to uric

(mammals) acid (birds) Excrete NH4 directly
- costs energy - costs even more
energy
11.3 U2 The Malpighian tubule system in insects and the kidney
carry out osmoregulation and removal of nitrogenous wastes.
Animals need to maintain Homeostasis: maintaining a constant internal
homeostasis. conditions within a narrow range, despite
fluctuations in the external environment.
-Homeostasis for osmolarity & the
removal of nitrogenous wastes is
maintained by the Malpigian
tubule system in arthropods
(insects).
1. Nitrogenous wastes in insects
is uric acid.
2. Uric acid & ions are moved
into Malpighian tubules by
active transport.
3. Water follows by osmosis.
4. Moves to gut- water & ions
From Biology Course Companion, Allott & Mindorf,, Oxford
are reabsorbed. University Press, 2014, p. 487

5. Uric acid is excreted with

feces.
11.3 S1 Skill: Drawing and labelling a diagram of the human kidney.

From I-Biology.net
11.3 U3 The composition of blood in the renal artery is Main idea: Structure is
different from that in the renal vein. related to function

Kidneys function to remove wastes

and in osmoregulation (the amount
of water in the blood).
• Blood enters the kidney through
the renal artery
• Unneeded substances are
removed:
• Excretory products:
Toxins & products of
metabolism, urea and
other nitrogenous http://www.chemistry.wustl.edu/~edudev/LabTutorials/Dialysis/images/KidneyFlow.jpg

wastes
• Non-excretory products:
excess water, excess salt
• Blood exits the kidney through
the renal vein

http://www.slideshare.net/gurustip/the-kidney?ref=http://i-
biology.net/ahl/11-human-physiology-ahl/the-kidney/
11.3 S1 Skill: Annotation of diagrams of the nephron.
The diagram of the
nephron should
include:
• Glomerulus
• Bowman’s capsule
• Proximal
convoluted tubule
• Loop of Henle
• Distal convoluted
tubule

From I-Biology.net
From I-Biology.net
View this animation about kidney function:

http://www.biologymad.com/resources/kidney.swf View this video by Craig Savage:

Introduction to the Kidney

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6L8TZaou6k
11.U4 The ultrastructure of the glomerulus and
Bowman’s capsule facilitate ultrafiltration.

From I-Biology.net
11.U4 The ultrastructure of the glomerulus and
Bowman’s capsule facilitate ultrafiltration.
From Biology Course Companion, Allott & Mindorf,, Oxford
University Press, 2014, p. 490
Podocytes: irregularly shaped cells in
glomerulus that wrap around capilaries
Basement membrane: Filter-allows
only water and small molecules
through.
Fenestrations: tiny pores (holes)
(Structure)
Ultrafiltration: Nearly all
substances are filtered out of
the blood except proteins &
blood cells
From Biology Course Companion, Allott & Mindorf,, Oxford
University Press, 2014, p. 488
Large molecules stay in the blood
Small molecules are filtered out of the
blood due to high pressure and the
structure of glomerulus & Bowman’s
capsule
From I-Biology.net
Topic 1.4: Membrane Transport Review:

Compare & Contrast active transport, cotransport, and osmosis.

Tip: When asked to compare or compare & contrast, make a table
Characteristic: Active Transport Cotransport Osmosis
Uses ATP
Direction
Substances
Membrane
protein needed

Compare: Give an account of the similarities between two (or more)

items or situations, referring
to both (all) of them throughout.
Compare & Contrast: Give an account of similarities and differences
between two (or more) items or situations, referring to both (all) of
them throughout.
Topic 1.4: Membrane Transport Review:

Compare & Contrast active transport, cotransport, and osmosis.

Tip: When asked to compare or compare & contrast, make a table
Characteristic: Active Transport Cotransport Osmosis
Uses ATP Yes No No
Direction From areas of low From areas of high From Areas of low
concentration to high concentration to low solute concentration
concentration concentration to areas of low solute
concentration
Substance • Ions/small molecules Ions/small molecules Water
Membrane Yes Yes No
protein needed
Compare: Give an account of the similarities between two (or more)
items or situations, referring
to both (all) of them throughout.
Compare & Contrast: Give an account of similarities and differences
between two (or more) items or situations, referring to both (all) of
them throughout.
11.U5 The proximal convoluted tubule selectively Structure follows function:
reabsorbs useful substances by active transport. Function: absorption
Structure: high surface area
• In ultrafiltration, small molecules are filtered out of the blood.
• Substances that are useful are later reabsorbed in the
proximal convoluted tubule.
• Active transport moves substances against concentration
gradients and requires ATP.
Substance How it’s reabsorbed
Sodium (Na+) Active transport from filtrate to space outside of tubule
Chloride (Cl-) Follow Na+ ions due to charge attraction

Glucose & amino Cotransport – when Na+ ions move back down concentration gradient
acids through special cotransport proteins , glucose & amino acids are moved
out of filtrate
Water Outside of tubule is hypertonic, so water moves by osmosis.
From I-Biology.net
From I-Biology.net
From I-Biology.net
From I-Biology.net
From I-Biology.net
From I-Biology.net
11.U6 The loop of Henle maintains hypertonic
conditions in the medulla.

From I-Biology.net
From I-Biology.net
From I-Biology.net
11.U7 ADH controls reabsorption of water in the
collecting duct.

ADH is AntiDiuretic Hormone

• A diuretic is something that increases urine production (more water in urine).
• So increase in ADH means smaller volume of concentrated urine is produced.

Hypothalmus- senses solute

concentration of the blood, &
sends signal to pituitary to
release more/less ADH

Pituitary gland- secretes ADH

into the blood stream, which
takes it to the cells in the
kidney

https://bluelotusfertility.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/adam_hypothalamus_pit
uitary_17135.jpg
From I-Biology.net
http://highered.mheducation.com/sites/0072495855/student_view0/chapter20/animati
on__hormonal_communication.html From I-Biology.net
Osmoregulation uses negative feedback to keep the solute concentration of blood at
the right level.

http://diabetesdietssolution.com/tag/dihybrid-cross-college-of-the-siskiyous-home
11.U8 The length of the loop of Henle is positively correlated
with the need for water conservation in animals.

The function of the loop of Henle is the recovery of water

and salts from the urine.
• The longer the loop of Henle is, the more water and salt
it is able to recover.
• Loop of Henle uses countercurrent exchange.

http://www.colorado.edu/intphys/Class/IPHY3430-200/countercurrent_ct.swf
11.A1 Application: Consequences of dehydration and overhydration.

• Dehydration occurs when too much water is lost from the body from exercise or diarrhea,
or from insufficient drinking
• Overhydration occurs when large amounts of water are consumed without electrolytes
(salts) after heavy exercise.

Consequences of Dehydration Consequences of Overhydration

Dark, concentrated urine Headache

Tiredness & lethargy due to muscles working Disruption of nerve function- neurons need
inefficiently sodium, potassium, & calcium ions to work
properly (Na+ K+ Ca+)
Falling blood pressure as blood volume
decreases
Increased heart rate as heart works to pump
thick, viscous blood through body
No sweating leads to difficulty controlling
body temperature
11.A2 Application: Treatment of kidney failure by hemodialysis or kidney transplant.

• Kidneys can fail, usually as a result of diabetes or chronic high blood pressure.
• A doner kidney may be transplanted into the patient, but there are risks of an immune
response & rejection of the new organ (see topic 6.3 & 11.1).

When the cells of a donated organ are

recognized as non-self, Lymphocytes (white
blood cells) destroy them as part of an
immune response.

Image from Biology Course Companion, Allott & Mindorf,,

Oxford University Press, 2014, p. 497
Dialysis works in the place of a non-functioning kidney
• Blood from a vein is pumped through semipermeable membrane that allows small
waste molecules to pass through but not larger molecules like proteins & cells
• The tube passes through dialysis fluid which creates a concentration gradient
• Filtered blood is returned to the body through a vein.

How does this use

countercurrent exchange?

http://www.gujaratkidneyfoundation.com/images/dialysis.jpg
11.A3 Application: Blood cells, glucose, proteins
and drugs are detected in urinary tests.

Urine be used to check a number of potential health

issues.
Blood White blood cells urinary tract infection
Cells Red blood cells  kidney stones
Glucose Glucose is normally reabsorbed in the P.C.T.
Presence of glucose  Diabetes
Proteins Proteins are not taken out of the blood in
ultrafiltration
Presence of proteins  Diabetes / kidney damage
Drugs Drugs or their metabolites can be tested for in
urine.

http://www.bodywellgroup.co.uk/assets/Upl
oads/Urinalysis3.png

http://www.albertaventure.com/wp-
content/uploads/2008/06/peecup.jpg
Thanks to these fine folks,
and any others that I may
have forgotten!