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Osmoregulation & Excretion

The document discusses osmoregulation and excretion, focusing on osmolarity, mechanisms of osmoregulation, and the various adaptations of animals to manage water balance. It outlines the roles of osmoconformers and osmoregulators, the importance of transport epithelia, and the excretory systems in different organisms, including nephrons in vertebrates. Additionally, it covers hormonal regulation of kidney function and urine production, highlighting systems like ADH and RAAS.

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ronburrows102
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5 views7 pages

Osmoregulation & Excretion

The document discusses osmoregulation and excretion, focusing on osmolarity, mechanisms of osmoregulation, and the various adaptations of animals to manage water balance. It outlines the roles of osmoconformers and osmoregulators, the importance of transport epithelia, and the excretory systems in different organisms, including nephrons in vertebrates. Additionally, it covers hormonal regulation of kidney function and urine production, highlighting systems like ADH and RAAS.

Uploaded by

ronburrows102
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Osmoregulation & Excretion

• osmolarity
◦ number of moles of solute per litre of solution
◦ isoosmotic, hyperosmotic, hypoosmotic
◦ response of animal cells - isotonic, hypertonic, hypotonic
• mechanisms in osmoregulation
◦ tolerance
‣ stenohaline - cannot tolerate substantial changes
‣ euryhaline - can survive large uctuations
◦ osmoconformer
‣ to be isoosmotic with its surroundings
‣ marine animals
• dehydrating environment
• mechanisms - active transport
◦ excretion of salt through kidneys and gills
◦ maintain high concentration of several other solutes - urea & TMAO
◦ osmoregulator
‣ to control internal osmolarity independent of that of the external environment
‣ freshwater animals - hyperosmotic
◦ in temporary waters
‣ enters a formant state - anhydrobiosis
• requires adaptations that keep cell
membranes intact
• trehalose - dissacharide
◦ protect the cells by replacing the water that is normally associated with proteins
and membrane lipids
◦ land animals
‣ reduce water loss
• waxy cuticle
• waxy layers of insect exoskeletons
• shells
• dead, keratinized skin cells
• nocturnal
◦ transport epithelia
‣ one or more layers of epithelial cells specialised for moving particular solutes in
controlled amounts in speci c directions
‣ adaptations
• tubular networks - surface area
• facing outside environment or by channels
• selective permeability & active transport
◦ active salt excretion
• excretion - removal of waste products
◦ ammonia
‣ toxic - ammonium can interfere with oxidative phosphrylation
‣ breakdown of nitrogenous molecules - proteins, amino acids

◦ excretory systems
‣ ltration
‣ reabsorption
‣ secretion
‣ excretion
• excretory tubules - nephrons & collecting
ducts
◦ atworms - protonephridia
‣ annelids e.g. earthworms
• metanephridia

‣ insects & other terrestrial arthropods


• Malphigian tubules

‣ vetebrates and other chordates


• kidneys - both osmoregulation & excretion
◦ nephron

‣ cortical nephrons - 85%


‣ juxtamedullary nephrons
• glomerulus -> Bowman's capsule -> proximal tubule -> loop of Henle -> distal tubule -> collecting
duct
◦ ureter
◦ renal pelvis
◦ urinary bladder
• urine production

14
◦ concentrating urine - countercurrent multiplier systems
• adaptations
◦ % of cortical vs. juxtamedullary nephrons
◦ length of loops of Henle
◦ size of nephrons

• hormonal circuits
◦ kidney function, water balance, blood pressure
◦ ADH
‣ aquaporin

◦ RAAS - renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system


‣ juxtaglomerular apparatus - renin

‣ opposed by atrial natriuretic peptide


• walls of the atria of the heart
◦ in response to an increase in blood volume and pressure
• inhibits the release of renin from the JGA
• inhibits NaCl reabsorption by the collecting ducts
• reduces aldosterone release from the adrenal glands

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