BIO202H5 Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Distal Convoluted Tubule, Proximal Tubule, Renal Pyramids
Document Summary
Lecture 4: balancing water and electrolytes (1) circulation. Birds/mammals closed circulatory system because left and right ventricle/atrium completely separated. Humans have to fight gravity and pump has to work upwards sometimes to brain, etc. (2) osmoregulatory challenges terrestrial. Osmoregulators: maintain constant body fluid osmolality despite environment. Water conservation of primary importance in filtration mechanisms. Filtration system specialized to conserve water (loop of henle in nephron) Losing water to external environment by radiation, evaporation, conduction, convection is challenge. Animal can keep concentration of liquids consistent throughout blood despite external environment. Concentration of blood is different compared to environment. Renal glomerulus network of capillaries located at beginning of nephron in kidney, surrounded by bowman"s capsule; serves as first stage in filtering process of blood carried out by nephron. Nephron basic structural/functional unit of kidney regulates concentration of water and soluble substances like sodium salts by filtering blood, reabsorbing what is needed and excreting waste as urine.
