Explain the kidney function in human biology, Biology

Assignment Help:

Explain the Kidney Function in human biology?

Blood first enters the capillaries in Bowman's capsule where it is filtered. The pores in the capillary walls allow water and small molecules to pass through, but are too small to allow red blood cells and large protein molecules to pass. The process by which material is filtered into Bowman's capsule is not very selective, and some of these substances that are of value to the body need to be reclaimed. Material filtered through the capillary walls into Bowman's capsule flows along the renal tubules. The process by which material is returned to the blood through the walls of the tubules is called tubular reabsorption.

Sodium, potassium, calcium, other minerals, and glucose are returned by active transport. These substances then enter the capillaries by diffusion. Water is returned by osmosis mostly in the proximal convoluted tubule, following the movement of glucose. There is additional reabsorption of salts and nutrients from the distal convoluted tubule, but this section of tubule also removes wastes and other substances not originally filtered out by Bowman's capsule through a process called tubular secretion. The pH of the blood is adjusted by the secretion of hydrogen ions into the filtrate. Potassium ions, ammonia, and certain drugs are eliminated by secretion from the distal convoluted tubules.

The loops of Henle function to concentrate the filtrate by establishing an osmotic gradient in the extracellular fluid around the loops that will later pull water from the collecting ducts. The ascending limb of the loop pumps NaCl out by active transport, but the ions cannot diffuse back in because this portion of the loop is impermeable to water. Salts can diffuse into the descending limb, but these are pumped out again when they reach the ascending loop, increasing the extracellular ionic concentration. When the filtrate reaches the collecting ducts, its osmotic concentration is much lower than the extracellular fluid of the medulla, so it loses water by osmosis and becomes more concentrated. As much as 99% of the water that goes through the tubules and collecting ducts is returned to the blood.

 


Related Discussions:- Explain the kidney function in human biology

What is the chemical content of those organelles, Q. On which organelle of ...

Q. On which organelle of the cell structure does intracellular digestion depend? What is the chemical content of those organelles? Intracellular digestion take place by the act

Explain disease dengue, Dengue Dengue fever is a viral disease transmi...

Dengue Dengue fever is a viral disease transmitted by mosquito bites that occurs worldwide in tropical and subtropical areas. Major epidemics have occurred in recent years in

What are goitrogens, What are Goitrogens? Certain chemical substances l...

What are Goitrogens? Certain chemical substances like thiocyanates, phenols, disuphides, flavanoids etc, found in the environment, can interfere with iodine metabolism. These s

Trout beck zone - lotic ecosystem, Trout beck zone - Lotic Ecosystem T...

Trout beck zone - Lotic Ecosystem This is larger and more constant than the head stream. The greater volume of torrential water carves channels into exposed rock floor (bed ro

How to load glycogen, How to load glycogen? Over the past fifty years, ...

How to load glycogen? Over the past fifty years, the biggest breakthrough was the discovery of how to load glycogen and sophistication in the methods of glycogen loading. Nitro

What are the proteins, Q. What are the proteins? How can the protein divers...

Q. What are the proteins? How can the protein diversity of living beings be described? Proteins are molecules made of sequences of amino acids bound by a peptide bond. The g

Define general characters and classification of arthropoda, Define General ...

Define General Characters and Classification of Arthropoda? These are metamerically segmented animals with an exoskeleton of cuticle. Scliizocoelic coelom is much reduced and is

How are antivenoms produced, Q. How are antivenoms produced? Why are antive...

Q. How are antivenoms produced? Why are antivenoms an example of passive immunization? Antivenoms are obtained by the following process: the venom (antigen) is inoculated into

Why plant life cycle known as alternation of generation, Why is the plant l...

Why is the plant life cycle known as alternation of generations? The plant life cycle is called as alternation of generations because in this cycle there are two dissimilar for

Gorgonids, Gorgonids yield chemicals like prostaglandins, medically useful ...

Gorgonids yield chemicals like prostaglandins, medically useful for birth control, prevention of peptic ulcers, treatment of asthma, regulation of blood pressure, etc. Sponges are

Write Your Message!

Captcha
Free Assignment Quote

Assured A++ Grade

Get guaranteed satisfaction & time on delivery in every assignment order you paid with us! We ensure premium quality solution document along with free turntin report!

All rights reserved! Copyrights ©2019-2020 ExpertsMind IT Educational Pvt Ltd