Physiological Systems: Osmoregulation and Excretion

These flashcards cover key vocabulary from the lecture on osmoregulation and excretion in animals.

Osmoregulation

The regulation of solute concentrations and balances of water in an organism's body.

Osmoconformer

An organism that iso-osmotic with its surroundings and does not regulate its osmolarity.

Osmoregulator

An organism that expends energy to control water uptake and loss in a hyper-osmotic or hypo-osmotic environment.

Hyposmotic solution

A solution with a lower concentration of solute compared to another solution.

Hyperosmotic solution

A solution with a higher concentration of solute compared to another solution.

Nitrogenous waste

Waste products from the breakdown of proteins and nucleic acids that contain nitrogen.

Nephron

The functional unit of the mammalian kidney responsible for filtering blood and forming urine.

Reabsorption

The process by which valuable substances are reclaimed from filtrate and returned to body fluids.

Filtration

The process in which blood is filtered through the kidneys, resulting in the creation of filtrate.

Excretion

The process by which metabolic wastes are eliminated from the body.

Countercurrent exchange

A mechanism that enhances efficiency in processes such as osmoregulation, involving the flow of fluids in opposite directions.

Osmolarity

A measure of the solute concentration in a solution, important in determining water movement.

Urea

A less toxic nitrogenous waste produced by mammals that requires less water for excretion than ammonia.

Uric acid

A nitrogenous waste that is relatively non-toxic, insoluble in water, and conserves water when excreted as a paste.