Kidney function - excretion

Learning objectives:
•Describe the structure of a
nephron
•Describe ultrafiltration in
the Bowman’s capsule and
the composition of the
glomerular filtrate
•Describe the selective
reabsorption of water and
glucose
•Understand that urine
contains water, urea and
salts.
Each kidney is made up of about:
a) 125 000 filtering units
b) 1.25 million filtering units
c) 25 million filtering units
 Nephron b)
Each kidney is made up of about 1.25 million
filter units called nephrons.

Task:
Complete
nephron
structure
worksheet
 b)
Nephron
Glomerulus
Distal convoluted
Bowman’s capsule tubule

Proximal
convoluted tubule

Colleting duct

Loop of Henlé
True or False

Urine contains sugar, water and

wastes
Urine composition FALSE

• Water
• Urea (nitrogenous wastes
produced from the
degradation of amino
acids)
• Salts
 The kidney is an excretory organ
Making urine

The filtration of the blood to form urine involves the

following steps:

1.Ultrafiltration
2.Selective reabsorption
 The kidney is an excretory organ
Ultrafiltration
The Bowman's capsule encloses a knot of
capillaries called the glomerulus. The blood
capillary leaving the glomerulus is smaller in
diameter than the blood capillary entering the
glomerulus. This causes resistance to the blood
flow and results in an extremely high pressure
Basement in the glomerulus. This pressure forces fluid
membrane from the blood into the middle of the
Bowman’s capsule. This fluid is now called
glomerular filtrate.

Glomerulus Bowman’s capsule is surrounded by a basement

membrane which inhibits large molecules (such
Bowman’s as protein) from passing through. Smaller
Capsule molecules (such as water and salts) will easily
pass through into the capsule becoming part of
the glomerular filtrate.
 The kidney is an excretory organ
Reabsorption: glucose
• Glucose is a small molecule which ends up as
part of the glomerulus filtrate during
ultrafiltration.

• However, glucose is also a very valuable

material (a reactant of aerobic respiration)
and must be reabsorbed.

• This happens in the proximal convoluted

tubule of the nephron. It is reabsorbed into
the capillary network that twists around the
nephron.

• This takes place via active transport.

 The kidney is an excretory organ
Reabsorption: water
• Water is part of the glomerulus filtrate during
ultrafiltration.

• However, water is also a very valuable

material (tissue fluid) and must be
reabsorbed.

• This happens throughout the tubules in the

nephron including the loop of Henle and the
collecting duct.

FUN FACT: Desert animals have long loops of

Henle, whereas animals with easy access to
water have short loops of Henle.
Composition Task: Describe and explain the table

Content (mg per 100ml)

Molecule Blood in Glomerular Urine Blood in
renal artery filtrate renal Vein
Proteins 740 0 0 740

Glucose 90 90 0 90

Urea 30 30 2000 24
Proteins – are too large to leave the blood.

Glucose – becomes part of the filtrate, however active transport

takes all of the glucose back into the blood.

Urea – becomes part of the filtrate, it is all excreted by the body.

True or False

There are incidences of kidney theft

 TRUE

We can survive without one kidney very well, but total kidney
failure would be fatal if not treated. Treatment can take the
form of dialysis on a kidney machine or a kidney
transplant. Kidney transplants are in demand.

BBC report: kidney theft: Truth of fiction?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/programmes/global_crime_report/crime/kidney.shtml

A possible alternative? Printing a human kidney

http://www.ted.com/talks/anthony_atala_printing_a_human_kidney
 Thumbs up or down
Learning objectives:
•Describe the structure of a nephron
•Describe ultrafiltration in the Bowman’s capsule
and the composition of the glomerular filtrate
•Describe the selective reabsorption of water and
glucose
•Understand that urine contains water, urea and
salts.