PhysioEx Lab Report

Exercise 9: Renal System Physiology

Activity 1: The Effect of Arteriole Radius on Glomerular Filtration

Name: Marilyn Hernández

Date: 2 October 2022

Session ID: session-bf9c4c4a-d703-e320-ed3d-4b192b372648

Pre-lab Quiz Results

You scored 100% by answering 5 out of 5 questions correctly.

1 There are approximately __________ nephrons in a healthy human kidney.

You correctly answered: 1 × 106

2 Which of the following lists the anatomical structures in the correct order as they are encountered by
the blood itself during the process of filtration?

You correctly answered: afferent arteriole, glomerular capillary, efferent arteriole.

3 Bowman's capsule is connected to the beginning of the

You correctly answered: proximal convoluted tubule.

4 The functional unit of the kidney is the

You correctly answered: nephron.

5 During the process of renal reabsorption, fluid and solutes move from the

You correctly answered: renal tubule into the peritubular capillaries.

Experiment Results
Predict Questions
1 Predict Question 1: What will happen to the glomerular capillary pressure and filtration rate if you
decrease the radius of the afferent arteriole?

Your answer: Both pressure and filtration rate will decrease.

2 Predict Question 2: What will happen to the glomerular capillary pressure and filtration rate if you
increase the radius of the afferent arteriole?

Your answer: Both pressure and filtration rate will increase.

3 Predict Question 3: What will happen to the glomerular capillary pressure and filtration rate if you
decrease the radius of the efferent arteriole?
 Your answer: Both pressure and filtration rate will increase.

Stop & Think Questions

1 Caffeine consumption leads to increased urine formation. From the results in this experiment thus far,
you might propose that

You correctly answered: caffeine dilates the afferent arteriole.

2 When you are in the desert and dehydrating, which of the following arteriole combinations would
benefit you the most?

You correctly answered: afferent constriction and efferent dilation.

Experiment Data
Afferent Efferent Radius Beaker Press. Glomerular Glom. Filt. Rate Urine Volume
Radius (mm) (mm) (mm Hg) Press. (mm Hg) (ml/min) (ml)
0.50 0.45 90 55.08 124.99 200.44
0.45 0.45 90 51.54 81.06 179.88
0.40 0.45 90 48.52 43.66 143.91
0.35 0.45 90 46.16 14.35 76.33
0.55 0.45 90 58.94 172.86 212.87
0.60 0.45 90 62.88 221.69 220.74
0.50 0.45 90 55.08 124.99 200.44
0.50 0.40 90 56.10 137.69 227.49
0.50 0.35 90 56.84 146.82 247.96
0.50 0.30 90 57.34 152.96 262.23

Post-lab Quiz Results

You scored 100% by answering 4 out of 4 questions correctly.

1 If you increase the afferent arteriole radius and keep all other variables constant, the glomerular
filtration rate would

You correctly answered: increase.

2 If you decrease the efferent arteriole radius and keep all other variables constant, the volume of urine
flowing into the urinary bladder would

You correctly answered: increase.

3 If you increase the efferent arteriole radius and keep all other variables constant, the glomerular
filtration rate would

You correctly answered: decrease.

4 If you decrease the afferent arteriole radius and keep all other variables constant, the volume of urine
flowing into the urinary bladder would

You correctly answered: decrease.

Review Sheet Results

1 What are two primary functions of the kidney?

Your answer:

Las don principales funciones del riñón son:

1. Regulación de equilibrio hídrico y electrolítico,

2. Excreción de productos metabólicos.

2 What are the components of the renal corpuscle?

Your answer:

Los componentes del corpúsculo renal son:

1. Cápsula de Browman,

2. Glomérulo.

3 Starting with the renal corpuscle, list the components of the renal tubule as they are encountered by
filtrate.

Your answer:

Componentes del túbulo renal a medida que se encuentran en el filtrado:

1. Túbulo contorneado proximal,

2. Luego al asa de Henle y, finalmente,

3. Túbulo contorneado distal.

4 Describe the effect of decreasing the afferent arteriole radius on glomerular capillary pressure and
filtration rate. How well did the results compare with your prediction?

Your answer:

Si se disminuye la presión capilar glomerular y la tasa de filtración se disminuye a la vez que el radio
de la arteriola aferente y por lo tanto es proporcional. Mi predicción es correcta.

5 Describe the effect of increasing the afferent arteriole radius on glomerular capillary pressure and
filtration rate. How well did the results compare with your prediction?

Your answer:

Si se aumenta la presión capilar glomerular y la tasa de filtración estas aumentaran, y el radio de la

arteriola aferente también aumentará. por lo tanto mi predicción es correcta, ya que es proporcional.
6 Describe the effect of decreasing the efferent arteriole radius on glomerular capillary pressure and
filtration rate. How well did the results compare with your prediction?

Your answer:

El efecto de la disminución del radio de la arteriola eferente sobre la presión capilar glomerular y la
tasa de filtración, es inversamente proporcional porque van a tener los mismos cambios al
disminuirse.

7 Describe the effect of increasing the efferent radius on glomerular capillary pressure and filtration
rate.

Your answer:

Igualmente que la pregunta anterior es que va a tener un efecto inversamente proporcional al

aumento del radio eferente sobre la presión capilar glomerular y la tasa de filtración.