BIOLOGY 12
Unit 8 ~ Learning Guide Name:________________
INSTRUCTIONS
Complete the following notes and questions as you work through the related lessons.
You are required to have this package completed BEFORE you write your unit test. Do
your best and ask questions about anything that you don't understand BEFORE you
write the unit test.
8.1 Urinary System
Excretion
Excretion is the process of removing __________________________________ (the useless and
potentially dangerous __________________________________). It is one of the major ways the
body ______________________. Although the kidneys are the main organs of excretion, several
other organs also excrete wastes. They include the ____________________________________.
All of these organs of excretion, along with the kidneys, make up the excretory system. This
lesson focuses on the role of the kidneys in excretion. The roles of the other excretory organs are
summarized below:
Skin
• Excretes perspiration (______________________________
______________________)
• ________________________________________________.
• Increase in wastes during times of renal failure (kidney)
Liver
• _______________________________________.
• ____________________________ is also formed from the
breakdown of ______________________ by the liver. It is
then ___________________________________________
______________________.
• excretion of bile pigments.
Lungs
• _______________________________________________________________________.
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Intestine
• _____________________________________________________
____________________________________ by the epithelial cells
lining it and become part of feces.
Kidneys
• ______________________________________________________________________.
8.2 Flow of Water
Entrance:
1. Drink Water
2. _______________________________________
Exits:
1. _______________________
2. _______________________
3. _______________________
4. Tears (small amounts)
5. Expectorating (phlegm)
6. Defecation
Urinary System Structure/Function
1. Kidney - __________________
2. Ureters - _____________________________
_____________________________
3. Bladder - ____________________________
4. Urethra - ____________________________
When a kidney is sliced longitudinally (sagittal section), it shows 3 regions.
1. ____________________________________________.
2. ____________________________________________.
3. __________ called the __________________________.
The kidneys lie in the _________________________________.
They receive blood from the ________________ to be cleaned.
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The wastes, to be excreted, called _________ collects in the pelvic region of each kidney before
being conducted by ______________________________________________. When the urinary
bladder becomes full, ___________________________, _______________________________.
8.3 The Nephron
Labeled diagram of a nephron
Microscopically, each kidney is composed of over 1 million nephron.
Structure of the nephron:
The cortex (________________) contains:
1. ___________________________________________________
2. __________________________________ (PCT)
3. _______________________________ (DCT)
The medulla (___________________) contains:
1. Loop of Henle - _______________________
____________________________________.
Renal Artery
• ____________________________________.
• High urea content.
Renal Veins
• ____________________________________.
• Low urea content, high glucose.
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Each nephron has its own blood supply. Including 2 capillary regions:
1. The ____________________.
2. _______________________________ shown in the picture on page 3.
Urine Formation
1. ________________________________________________________
2. ________________________________________________________
3. ________________________________________________________
4. ________________________________________________________
5. ________________________________
Function of the Nephron
1. Pressure filtration: ____________________________________________________________.
______________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________. Large organic molecules do not exit the blood (not
filtered). The liquid that collects in Bowman's capsule is plasma minus blood proteins. The
deamination of amino acids by the liver produces _____________________________________,
a major component of the waste pressure filtered into Bowman's Capsule.
Blood pressure is very important. If blood pressure is ______________, filtration will not occur.
A hormone called _________ is released from a specialized tissue in the Glomerulus that causes
the __________ of the Glomerulus and thus, the blood pressure is increased to an adequate level.
Filtered Blood Non-Filtered Blood
Components Components
2. Selective Reabsorption
Occurs mainly at the _______________________________. Required nutrients (____________
_________________________________________________) are ________________________
___________________________. _________________. The bicarbonate ion is also reabsorbed
by the PCT. The amount of bicarbonate ion reabsorbed depends on the ___________________.
The lower the pH of the blood the great the amount of bicarbonate ion reabsorbed.
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3. Water Reabsorption The body cannot afford to lose all this water. It must be reabsorbed into
the blood. The _________________________________________________________________
_____________________________. ______________________
____________________________________________________.
As a result water follows the sodium and chlorine by osmosis (to
even out electrical and concentration gradients).
Water is reabsorbed ____________________________________.
Therefore _______________________________. ____________
____________________________________________.
The loop of Henle creates a high osmotic pressure in the medullla.
The fluid going up the __________________________________
has a greater concentration of wastes and little nutrient value.
[Link] Excretion
______________________________________. Excess molecules
in the blood, such as ____________________________________
____________________________________________________,
thereby helping to maintain ________________. ____ of blood is
maintained by __________________. If pH is too low, more hydrogen ions are secreted into the
nephron.
5. Excretion
Concentrated urine from the collecting tubule is transported to the renal pelvis.
8.4 Hormones
____________________________________
Good example of negative feedback loop.
ADH - ________________________________.
ADH __________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________. Therefore a _____________________
___________, ___________________________________.
Water + Urea = Urine. Less water = _________________.
Urea is a waste product in the ______________________.
With more water being reabsorbed, __________________
_____________________.
If too little water is taken in orally the ________________
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_______________________ into the nerve tract to the _____________________. The posterior
pituitary gland releases ____ and __________________________________________________
____________________________.
____________ has a negative effect on ADH. It sends a _______________ to the hypothalamus
that there is too much water in the blood. ADH is not released, in fact it is inhibited. Therefore
water is not reabsorbed and is lost in the urine. That is why if you drink alcohol, you urinate a lot
and become ___________________.
__________________ is a hormone which regulates the ________________________________
_________. If sodium is too low, aldosterone causes _______________________________ from
the _____________________________________________________. If sodium concentration is
too high the release of aldosterone is ____________. Increased sodium concentration causes the
______________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________. As a result ________________________________
back into the blood from the ______________________________________________________
_____________, and of course the _______________, all of which extend into the renal medula.
The _____________________________________. The effect of this is the same as that of ADH
in that more water is reabsorbed
due to osmosis in the loop of
Henle.
U8: URINARY SYSTEM
1. Define excretion. (2 marks)
2. Identify the substances excreted by the following structures. (5 marks)
a. sweat glands
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b. lungs
c. liver
d. kidneys
e. large intestine
3. Label the following diagram of the urinary system and provide a brief description of the
function of the structure beside each label. Please be neat (8 marks)
4. Label the following diagram of a kidney and provide a brief description of the function of
the structure beside each label. You only need to label and describe the structures
indicated with letters. Please be neat. (8 marks)
A.
B.
C.
D.
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5. Describe the various ways that water enters and exits the human body. (4 marks)
6. Compare and contrast the composition of blood plasma to the composition of urine. (4
marks)
7. List the key substances that are selectively reabsorbed by the proximal convoluted tubule.
(6 marks)
8. List the key substances that are excreted by the distal convoluted tubule. (4 marks)
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9. Label the following diagram of a nephron and provide a brief description of the function
of the structure beside each label. Please be neat. (16 marks)
10. Describe how the following events would change urine composition and output/volume:
a. dehydration
b. prolonged exercise and sweating
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c. drinking 3 liters of fluid
d. excessive salt consumption
e. excessive alcohol consumption
11. Explain how blood salt levels can influence blood volume and pressure. (3 marks)
12. Compare and contrast the role of ADH and aldosterone in regulating blood pressure. (5
marks)
~ END OF BIOLOGY 12 UNIT 8 LEARNING GUIDE ~
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