Water Homeostasis

1.Discuss the structure of the plasma membrane and explain the process of active and passive transport through the membrane.

As the lab introduction explains, osmosis is relatively permeable to water and will follow solutes. By instinct, the water will move from a more diluted solution to more of a concentrated solution. The products of the experiments concluded the physiological significance of osmosis by how cell membranes in the body are semipermeable meaning that only certain molecules can pass through it. When intracellular fluid and extracellular fluid are at equilibrium by non-penetrating and concentrated solutes, no net movement of water goes in and out of the cell. Furthermore, if the ECF changes in osmolality, then depending on the difference between the ECF and ICF will determine whether water moves in or out of the cell. This is important in the cell membrane as small differences in osmolarity correspond to large, rapid change in osmotic pressure, causing cells to gain or lose water. In sum, our body makes critical decisions in what molecules are allowed to penetrate the cell membrane and make sure that our red blood cells don’t cause any problems within the

1. What can you infer about the surface area and/or diffusion distance for gas exchange in Sam’s lungs?

When the solutions are isotonic, there is no net flow of water across the membrane.

The body needs to maintain equilibrium to function properly in everyday life. The most important substance it must regulate is water; water is everywhere in our body and its balance is essential for proper body function.

Selective reabsorption occurs straight after ultrafiltration and this involves the filtrate running along the proximal convoluted tubule (PCT), “through the loop of Henle, and along the distal convoluted tubule” as cited by (Parson’s, R: p129). But it is important to note that the proximal convoluted tubule’s walls contain microvilli which supply a big surface area for the reabsorption of helpful materials from the filtrate into the blood. Other helpful solutes, for example vitamins, amino acids, glucose

Homeostasis means keeping a constant internal environment in the body. Homeostasis reaches from every cell up to the whole of the organs and the systems.

C. What is the function of the ureter? How does the structure support this function?

2. Describe the functional anatomy of the duct system that conveys bile from the liver and digestive juice from the pancreas to the lumen of the

2. These fluids like water are vital to us because we would not be able to live more than a few days without some fluids in our body.

Conditions in the body have to be controlled with narrow limits. This is called homeostasis. These conditions include water content, ion content, body temperature and blood glucose concentration.

Explain dysfunction in relation to water balance and its possible treatments (P5) & Discuss dysfunction in relation to water balance and its possible treatments (M3)

The major objective of the experiment was to test the effect of the concentration gradient on the diffusion rate. It was hypothesized that the greater the stronger the concentration gradient, the faster the rate of diffusion would be. To test this, dialysis tubes were submerged in different concentration fructose solutions. We weighed the tubes at specific time intervals to measure the rate of diffusion of water in each different solution. The results illustrated that increased concentration gradient increases the rate of diffusion of water in the tubes. We concluded that as concentration of the

Water is the most abundant compound in the human body. Water is ESSENTIAL for the process of homeostasis. Water increases the volume of blood which in result affects blood pressure and the heart rate. Also, if there is a drop in blood volume there is also a drop in the blood pressure. This then triggers us to become thirsty, and drinking water increases the volume again stabalizing the body.

In Kidney failure cases urea, creatine, uric acids and electrolytes move from the blood to the dialysate with the net effect of lowering their concentration in the blood. RBC s WBC s and plasma proteins are too large to diffuse through the pores of the membrane. Hemodialysis patient are exposed to 120 to 130 L of water during each dialysis treatment. Small molecular weight substances can pass from the dialysate in to patient’s blood. So the purity of water used for dialysis is monitored and controlled.