Osmoregulation - Kidneys Flashcards
Why are the kidneys really important?
The adjust the body’s water content
How is water taken into the body?
By food and drinks
How is water lost from the body? (Three main ways)
- Breathing
- Sweating
- Weeing
What is osmoregulation?
Constant balance between the water coming in the body against the water coming out
Give an example of a way that you can you adjust the amount of water?
The amount of water excreted by the kidneys in the urine
What do the kidneys do if a person is sweating a lot or hasn’t drunk enough water?
The kidneys can reabsorb more water so that less is lost in the urine and the water balance is maintained
What does ADH stand for and what does it do?
- Anti Diuretic Hormone
- It also helps to control water content
What does ADH make the nephrons in the kidney like?
More permeable so more water is reabsorbed back into the blood
What does the brain monitor?
- Water content of the blood
- Instructs the pituitary glands to release ADH into the blood according to how much is needed
What is the whole process of osmoregulation controlled by?
A mechanism called negative feedback
What does negative feedback mean?
If water content gets too high or too low a mechanism will be triggered that brings it back to normal
What is the negative feedback response if water is loss?
- Brain detects water loss
- Pituitary gland releases more ADH
- ADH makes kidney reabsorb more water
What is the negative feedback response if water is gained?
- Brain detects water gain
- Pituitary gland releases less ADH
- Lack of ADH means kidneys reabsorb less water
