SB8.

1p

Filtration and reabsorption

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 SB8.1p Filtration and reabsorption

Urine is a liquid produced by the body that contains

substances that the body doesn’t need.

Name the organs that produce urine.

kidneys

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 SB8.1p Filtration and reabsorption

The substances found in urine include substances that are

in excess (more than the body needs), and waste
substances formed in body processes.

Name one waste substance found in urine.

urea

Name one substance excreted in urine when there is an

excess in the body.
Any suitable example, such as: mineral ions, water.

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 SB8.1p Filtration and reabsorption

Each kidney contains

many thousands of tiny
tubules called
nephrons.

Each nephron is closely

associated with blood
capillaries.

structure of a nephron

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 SB8.1p Filtration and reabsorption

The first part of a nephron is called the Bowman’s

capsule.
This contains a bundle of capillaries called a glomerulus.
outer wall of
Bowman’s
capsule

space inside
glomerulus
Bowman’s
capsule
sections
through other
A Bowman’s capsule is about 0.4 mm wide. tubules
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 SB8.1p Filtration and reabsorption

Filtration
The first stage in the formation of urine is filtration. This
occurs between the glomerulus and the Bowman’s capsule.
There are gaps
Small
between cells in
molecules
the capillary
pass out of
walls of the
the blood into
glomerulus, and
the capsule.
the inner wall of
the Bowman’s
capsule. This
makes them
very leaky.
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 SB8.1p Filtration and reabsorption

Explain why large protein molecules and blood cells remain

in the blood in the capillaries.

They are too large to pass through the gaps in the capillary
and capsule walls from the blood into the nephron.

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 SB8.1p Filtration and reabsorption

Reabsorption
Reabsorption of substances from the nephron fluid back
into the capillary forms the urine that leaves the collecting
duct.

Reabsorption involves diffusion, osmosis and active

transport.

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 SB8.1p Filtration and reabsorption

Define each of these terms

Diffusion
Net movement of substances down their concentration
gradient (from higher to lower concentration).

Osmosis
Diffusion of water across a partially permeable membrane.

Active transport
Movement of substances across a membrane against their
concentration gradient (which needs energy).

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 SB8.1p Filtration and reabsorption

Diffusion of mineral ions and glucose back into the blood

happens until their concentrations are equal in the nephron
fluid and the blood.
The remaining glucose in the nephron fluid is selectively
reabsorbed back into the blood.

Explain why the selective reabsorption of glucose requires

active transport.
The concentration of glucose in the blood will be higher
than in the nephron fluid. So the glucose must be moved
against its concentration gradient.

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 SB8.1p Filtration and reabsorption

Selective reabsorption of
glucose happens in the first
convoluted tubule.

By the time the nephron

fluid reaches the collecting
duct, all the glucose has
been reabsorbed.

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 SB8.1p Filtration and reabsorption

Some water is reabsorbed

from the fluid in the loop
of Henle back into the
blood in the capillary.

Additional water may

be absorbed from the
collecting duct if the
body is dehydrated
(lacking in water).

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