INTRODUCTION

The kidneys function to filter the blood in the body, removing waste, therefore cleansing the
blood. The part of filtration occur in kidney through glomerular filtration barrier. The
composition of glomerular filtrate is determined by the structure, arrangement and electrical
charge of the collagen protein molecules that form the filtration barrier. So glomerular
filtration is both size-selective and charge-selective; molecules that are too large or too highly
charged cannot get through (Rayner, 2016). Then our kidneys is made up of about a million
filtering units called nephrons. Each nephron includes a filter, called the glomerulus, and
a tubule. The nephrons work through a two-step process: the glomerulus filters your blood,
and the tubule returns needed substances to your blood and removes wastes. As blood flows
into each nephron, it enters a cluster of tiny blood vessels which is the glomerulus. The thin
walls of the glomerulus allow smaller molecules (like nutrient, salt and urea), wastes, and
fluid mostly water to pass into the tubule. Larger molecules, such as proteins and blood cells,
stay in the blood vessel (Cecie, 2014).In this experiment, the dialysis bag will act as a part of
the kidney which is glomerulus part. When the solution containing the Congo red, Yellow
Food Coloring and Water is made, this symbolizes blood as it is entering the kidney via the
renal artery. As the experiment progresses, notice the filtration occurring with the kidney
(dialysis tubing) and the resulting substances.

OBJECTIVE

To observe the osmosis and filtration process in kidney using dialysis tubing.

MATERIAL

Dialysis Tubing

Small Rubber Band

Pipette

Congo Red

Yellow Food Coloring

Glucose solution

(2) 250 ml beaker

10 ml Graduated Cylinder
Water

Benedict solution

METHOD

1. Small rubber was placed around the bottom of the dialysis tubing for to close it off. The
rubber band was wrap as many times as possible. The dialysis tubing was tested by
placing a few drop of water into the tube. If it leaks out the bottom, the rubber band has
not been fastened tight enough. If it does not leak, the water was poured out of the tubing
into the sink. The tubing was set aside.
2. 250 ml beaker was grab and fill with 200 ml water and set aside.
3. 10 ml graduated cylinder was used to measure 3 ml of Congo red and was poured into
250 ml empty beaker. The cylinder was washed.
4. 3 ml of yellow food coloring was measured and poured into same beaker that contain
Congo red early. The cylinder was washed.
5. 3 ml of glucose solution was measured and poured into same beaker that contain Congo
red and yellow food coloring.
6. 5 ml of water was measured and poured into same beaker that contain Congo red, yellow
food coloring and glucose solution.
7. Pipette was used to mix the solution by squeezing and release the bulb of the pipette
while moving the pipette throughout the solution.
8. The solution was thoroughly mixed, 10 ml of the solution was add into dialysis tube.
9. 10 ml was has been placed into the dialysis tubing, then rubber band was placed gently
around the top of the dialysis tube to close it off.
10. The dialysis tube was securely closed off on both end, the dialysis tubing was placed into
250 ml beaker with 200 ml of water.
11. Dialysis tubing was sit for 60 minutes.
RESULT

Figure 1 shown dialysis tube that contain Congo red, yellow food coloring and glucose
solution before 60 minutes

Figure 1 shown dialysis tube that contain Congo red, yellow food coloring and glucose
solution after 60 minutes

Table 1 shown the result of solution inside and outside of dialysis tube before 1 hour

Solution Dialysis tubing Beaker

Congo red Present Absent
Yellow food coloring Present Absent

Table 2 shown the result of solution inside and outside of dialysis tube after 1 hour

Solution Dialysis tubing Beaker

Congo red Present Absent
Yellow food coloring Absent Present
DISCUSSION
In this experiment, the result shows that only small molecule (like nutrient, salt and urea),
wastes, and fluid mostly water to pass into the beaker. As we know this experiment is about
kidney filtration, kidney filtration is like osmosis reaction which is water is able to move
across the cell membrane from areas of high concentration to low concentration. This
movement is aided by the presence of small channels created by proteins, which are called
aquaporins. When water diffuses across a membrane, it is referred to as osmosis. Often, water
will move across a membrane in order to balance the unequal concentrations of a solute,
which is not able to move through the membrane itself. A solute is a material that is dissolved
in a liquid. For example, in salt water, the solute is the salt. In this experiment the dialysis
tubing act as glomerulus which filter water and solutes from the blood. While Congo Red
solution represent the blood and the Yellow Food Colouring represent the waste material
(salt, mineral and water) in the blood, that why only food colouring can pass through dialysis
tubing because the molecule inside it was a smaller than in Congo red solution. While for the
beaker it represent the Bowman’s capsule which allow the diffusion of the molecules from
the blood. Kidney filter the blood to excrete toxic metabolic-by-products such as urea,
ammonia and uric acid so that the pH, volume, ionic balance and osmotic concentration of
the extracellular fluid in the body can be maintained (Cecie, 2014).

1. What specific part of the kidney does the dialysis tubing represent? What is this
parts function?
The dialysis tubing represents the kidneys filtration which is glomerulus through the
ureter which transport urine toward the urinary bladder.

2. What does the Yellow Food Coloring represent at the end of the experiment? What
does the Congo Red represent?
Yellow food coloring represent the urine and the waste material that being filtered by the
nephorons at the end of the experiment. While for Congo red it represent asa a blood that
entering kidney for filtering.
3. Why is it important that the kidney filters the blood?
It is important that to the kidney for filtering the blood because it keep blood stable to
produce urine and get rid of excess wastes and fluid inside it. The composition and
makeup of the blood help the body function maintain.
CONCLUSION
In this experiment we can conclude that small molecule like salt, mineral and water can pass
through dialysis tubing that represent as an glomerulus which filter blood before entering
Bowman capsule. Then from this experiment, we can identified a specific diseases that may
have in a person which can be detected by using urine analysis when large molecule can pass
through glomerulus such as early sign of kidney disease, proteinuria, glucosuria and
ketonuria.

REFERENCE
Campbell, N, & Reece, J (2001). Biology Global Edition (7th edition), AP. San Francisco,
CA: Pearson, Education Inc.
Cecie S. & Beverly M. (2014). Human biology. Canada: Nelson Education.
Hugh C. Rayner. (2016). Kidney Anatomy and Physiology. Retrieved May 2, 2019, from
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/301262740_Kidney_Anatomy_and_Physiology