8 Answers to end-of-chapter questions

Multiple choice questions

1 B [1]
2 D [1]
3 B [1]
4 B [1]
5 A [1]
6 A [1]
7 C [1]
8 C [1]
9 D [1]
10 A [1]

Structured questions
11 a

Good diagram [2]

7–8 labels [4]
5–6 labels [3]
3–4 labels [2]
1–2 labels [1]

Biology Unit 2 for CAPE® Examinations Original material © Cambridge University Press 2011 1
 b

Each point [1]

Max [5]

c • Longest part of nephron – more surface area for

uptake
• Surrounded by many peritubular capillaries which are
in close contact with walls of the tubule to allow for
efficient transfer of substances to blood
• Microvilli or brush border on lumen surface – increase
surface area for absorption
• Many mitochondria – provide ATP for active uptake
of glucose etc
• Tight junctions – allow for control of uptake of
substances Each point [1]
• Any correct answer Max [3]

d Permeability to water can be varied in presence of ADH [1]

12 a • Medulla [1]

• Presence of many tubular structures without brush

borders
• No Bowman’s capsule/presence of glomerulus
• Any correct answer Reason [1]

b I – Collecting duct
II – Thick segment of loop of Henlé
III – Thin limb of loop of Henlé Each point [1]

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 c Drawing should show:
• Separate cells/cell membrane visible
• Large image
• Cuboidal/columnar cells
• Large lumen
I has a diameter of about 10 mm in the micrograph, so the
student drawing should have a diameter of about 20 mm.

Correct magnification [1]

Accuracy [1]
Neat clear lines [1]

d • Thin segment – allows for diffusion of water and

sodium ions hence has to be thin
• Thick segment – transport substances by active
transport/more transport proteins/impermeable to
water movement/more control over the movement of
contents of lumen 1 point from each [1]

e i • No protein: too large to pass across the basement

membrane of glomerulus [1]
• Glucose: all taken up/reabsorbed in the proximal
convoluted tubule [1]

ii Aids in water reabsorption in the proximal convoluted

tubule and from the loop of Henlé [1]

Each curve [1]

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13 a

5–6 labels [3]

3–4 labels [2]
1–2 labels [1]

b i Selective reabsorption [1]

ii • Mitochondria – provide ATP for active transport of

glucose and other substances
• Tight junctions – allow for control of uptake since
substances cannot pass between cells but must pass
across cell membrane of microvilli
• Peritubular capillaries – remove absorbed food,
water, ions
• Microvilli – increase surface area to increase
absorption of substances from lumen [5]

c • Glucose – indirect active uptake with cotransport of

sodium ions through symport proteins [1]
• Small proteins – pinocytosis [1]
• Sodium ions – diffuse down an electrochemical
gradient into cells of proximal convoluted tubule [1]
• This lowers solute potential of proximal convoluted
tubule and water enters by osmosis [1]

d • Indication person is suffering from diabetes [1]

• Since all glucose should have been reabsorbed in the
proximal convoluted tubule [1]

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Essay questions

14 a • Blood under high pressure in glomerulus

• Net filtration pressure is greater than opposing
pressure
• Filtration takes place through three layers
• 1st layer – endothelial wall of capillaries which has
pores of 10 nm – allows all constituents of blood to
pass through
• 2nd layer – basement membrane of capillary which
acts as dialysing membrane
• Only allows substances of < RMM 68 000 to pass
through
• 3rd layer – epithelium of visceral wall of Bowman’s
capsule which is made up of podocytes/pores of
25 nm
• Allows all substances which pass through basement
membrane into space of Bowman’s capsule/free flow Any point [1]
of substances into proximal convoluted tubule Max [7]

b • Afferent arteriole has wider diameter than efferent

arteriole
• Basement membrane is fine/consists of collagen fibres
and mucopolysaccharide
• Separates glomerulus from capsule
• Only allows small substances to pass across/< RMM
68 000
• Proteins repelled by negative charges of fibres
• Large slits in podocytes allows for free flow into
proximal convoluted tubule Any point [1]
• Any correct answer Max [3]

c i • Water
• Glucose
• Ions – sodium, potassium, chloride
• Amino acids
• Small proteins < RMM 68 000
• Urea
• Creatinine
• Uric acid
• Hormones
• Water soluble vitamins
• Fatty acids Any point [1]
• Any correct answer Max [3]

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 ii • Indication of damage to capillary/glomerulus
• Damage to basement membrane since proteins
over RMM 68 000 cannot pass through normally
• Indication of chronic high blood pressure causing
glomerular pressure to be very high, forcing
proteins out Any 2 points [2]

15 a • Excretion is the process by which the organism

removes by-products of metabolism that are not
required [1]

• Body cannot store protein

• Excess amino acids must be excreted
• Amino acids are deaminated to produce ammonia
within tissues
• Ammonia is soluble and very alkaline
• Would increase pH of cells
• Enzymes/metabolism affected
• Would become toxic to cells Any 2 points [2]

b • Formed by deamination of proteins

• Combination of ammonia and carbon dioxide
• Reference to ornithine cycle in liver
• Uses three ATP per molecule in its formation
Why:
• Ammonia formed by deamination is very soluble and
alkaline
• Requires large volumes of water to get rid of
• Very toxic
• Urea is less toxic and less soluble [6]

c i • Afferent: wider in diameter than efferent [1]

• Because of difference in diameter, causes
resistance to flow of blood in the
glomerulus/increases blood pressure/ultrafiltration [1]

ii • Blood under low pressure because it is wider than

efferent arteriole
• Blood flows slowly
• More permeable than other capillaries Any point from first 3 [1]

• Removes the absorbed food/glucose etc, water,

ions from nephrons [1]

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 iii • Special branches of peritubular capillaries of
juxtamedullary nephrons
• Runs parallel to loop of Henlé
• Has same counter current mechanisms as loop of
Henlé Any point from first 3 [1]

• Supplies oxygen and nutrients to the loop of Henlé

• Maintains the sodium chloride concentration
gradient Either 4th or 5th points [1]

16 a
• Function is to make the interstitial/tissue fluid in
medulla hypertonic compared to the filtrate in the
nephron
• Purpose of ‘salt bath’ is to reabsorb water
• Loop of Henlé consists of ascending and descending
limbs
• Both limbs run parallel to each other
• Has a parallel blood capillary system known as vasa
recta
• Counter current multiplier system in both loop and
vasa recta for sodium and chloride ions
• See diagram for steps 1–5 4 points clearly explained [4]

Well drawn diagram [1]

3–4 labels [2]
1–2 labels [1]

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 b • If water potential is low in blood
• Detected by receptors in hypothalamus
• Which sends impulses to posterior lobe of pituitary
gland
• ADH produced
• Travels to receptor sites in epithelial cells of distal
convoluted tubule and collecting ducts
• Causes more water channels to be added to
membranes of epithelial cells
• More water absorbed into blood by osmosis
• Water passes to vasa recta
• ADH also increases permeability of collecting ducts
to urea
• Making interstitial fluid more concentrated
• Small volume hypertonic urine formed [6]

c • Caffeine inhibits release of ADH

• No ADH: walls of collecting ducts and distal
convoluted tubule remains impermeable to water/less
water channels in membrane of epithelial cells
• Less water reabsorbed
3–4 labels [2]
• More urine produced
1–2 labels [1]

Biology Unit 2 for CAPE® Examinations Original material © Cambridge University Press 2011 8