Osmoregulation and Kidney

Osmoregulation

Maintaining a balance of salt and water inside the body.

Osmolarity

Total solute concentration of a solution.

Osmosis

Water will always move from a lower solute concentration to a higher solute concentration.

Molarity

Number of moles of solute in one liter of solution.

Isosmotic

A solution with the same osmotic pressure as another solution. Salt is balanced onboth sides

Hyperosmotic

A solution with a higher osmotic pressure than another solution. Water moves to areas of higher solute

Hyposmotic

A solution with a lower osmotic pressure than another solution.

Osmoregulators

Organisms that maintain a constant internal osmotic environment.

Functions of the terrestrial kidney

Includes excretion of nitrogenous wastes, osmoregulation via urine, and maintaining pH balance.

Excretion

The process of eliminating waste products from the body.

Concentrated urine

Urine that contains a high concentration of solutes, indicating water reabsorption.

Dilute urine

Urine that contains a low concentration of solutes, indicating less water reabsorption.

pH balance in kidneys

Control of excretion of hydrogen ions and reabsorption of bicarbonate ions.

Nephrons

Functional units of the kidney responsible for filtration and reabsorption.

Renal cortex

Outer region of the kidney containing the glomeruli and part of the nephron.

Renal medulla

Inner region of the kidney where loops of Henle and collecting ducts are located.

Renal pelvis

Funnel-shaped structure that collects urine from the nephron and channels it to the ureter.

Renal pyramid

Triangular structures in the renal medulla crucial for urine concentration.

Ureters

Tubes that transport urine from the kidneys to the bladder.

Renal vein

Vessel that carries deoxygenated blood away from the kidneys back to the heart.

Renal artery

Vessel that delivers oxygenated blood to the kidneys for filtration.

Glomerulus

Cluster of capillaries where filtration begins.

Bowman's capsule

Cup-shaped part of nephron surrounding glomerulus that collects filtrate.

Proximal tubule

Section of nephron where reabsorption of substances occurs.

Loop of Henle

U-shaped tube in nephron that reabsorbs salt and water from filtrate.

Distal tubule

Section that further secretes and reabsorbs substances from filtrate.

Collecting duct

Final section that concentrates urine before it is sent to renal pelvis.

Filtration

Process of forcing small molecules out of the blood into Bowman's capsule.

Reabsorption

Process of reclaiming substances like NaCl, glucose, and water from filtrate.

Secretion

Movement of large molecules into filtrate that cannot pass through membranes passively.

Concentration of filtrate

Process occurring in the collecting duct to produce urine.

Filtrate

Solution formed from blood being filtered at the glomerulus and Bowman's capsule.

Urine

Filtrate that has passed through the nephron; composition does not change.

osmoconformers

Organisms that maintain internal fluids isotonic to their environment.