Osmoregulation & Excretion

These flashcards cover key vocabulary terms related to the concepts of osmoregulation and excretion, important for understanding renal function and adaptations in animal physiology.

Osmoregulation

The process by which an organism regulates water and solute concentrations to maintain homeostasis.

Osmosis

The movement of water across a selectively permeable membrane from a region of lower solute concentration to a region of higher solute concentration.

Hyperosmotic

Describes a solution with a higher concentration of solutes compared to another solution.

Hypoosmotic

Describes a solution with a lower concentration of solutes compared to another solution.

Nitrogenous waste

Byproducts of protein and nucleic acid metabolism that need to be excreted from the body.

Renal Function

The biological processes involving the filtering of blood and the excretion of waste products via urine.

Filtration

The process of separating substances based on size, primarily occurring in the glomerulus of the nephron.

Reabsorption

The process by which the nephron returns substances from the filtrate back to the blood.

Secretion

The process by which substances are transported from the blood into the filtrate in the nephron.

Excretion

The process of eliminating waste products from the body.

Aquaporins

Channel proteins that facilitate the rapid transport of water across cell membranes.

Osmoconformer

An organism that maintains an internal environment that is isotonic to its external environment.

Osmoregulator

An organism that actively regulates the osmotic pressure of its body fluids to maintain homeostasis.

Collecting duct

The segment of the nephron where urine is concentrated before being sent to the bladder.

ADH (Antidiuretic Hormone)

A hormone that helps regulate water balance in the body by promoting water reabsorption in the kidneys.

Primary Urine

The initial filtrate produced in the nephron before any reabsorption or secretion has occurred.

Uric Acid

A nitrogenous waste product that is less toxic and requires less water to excrete.

Osmotic Concentration (Osmolarity)

The total concentration of solute particles in a solution.

Nephron

The functional unit of the kidney responsible for the processes of filtration, reabsorption, secretion, and excretion.