Excretion and Homeostasis PMT 1

1. a.
i) The lungs and the kidneys are excretory organs of the human body.
Define the term excretion.
→ Excretion is the removal of the waste substances of metabolic reactions
(the chemical reactions that take place inside cells), toxic materials and
substances in excess of requirements from the body.

ii) State an excretory product that is passed out through the lungs.
→ carbon dioxide/ water vapour

iii) Outline the role of the liver in excretion.

1. Deamination of amino acids
2. Removal of nitrogen containing part of amino acids
3. To produce urea
4. Urea passes into blood
5. Breakdown of hormones/ toxins/ drugs/ excess vitamins
6. Breakdown of worn out red blood cells
7. Excretory products put in bile, ex: cholesterol
 Function Name of part Labeled letter

Blood is filtered cortex K

Concentration of urine is medulla L

determined

Urine flows to the ureter N

bladder

Blood is carried into the Renal artery P

kidney

Blood flows out of the Renal vein O

kidney

C. ) People with kidney disease are often treated in renal dialysis clinics.
Their blood passes through tubes lined with a special membrane for about
three hours.
(i) State two waste substances that are removed from the blood by dialysis.
1. Urea
2. Water
3. Ammonia
4. creatinine

(ii) Kidney patients may be given a kidney transplant. State one advantage
and one disadvantage of kidney transplants compared with dialysis.
- Advantage :
1. Patients don’t need to return to clinic for dialysis
2. Can eat normally / don't need to eat a restricted diet
3. Periods of feeling unwell is reduced
- Disadvantage :
1. Needs immunosuppressant
2. Risk of death/ infection during or after operation
3. Rejection of kidney
4. Finding compatible donor

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2. This diagram shows a cross section of a kidney.

a.) Name the structures labeled, E, F and G.

- E : cortex
- F : medulla
- G : ureter

b.) Explain the function of the renal capsule in the kidney.

For ultrafiltration –
- High blood pressure assists filtrate to pass through capsule
- Proteins would be too big to move out of the capsule
- Glucose molecules would be able to move through
- Filtrate consists of water and dissolved salts/ ions/ glucose/ urea

c.) Glucose is reabsorbed back into the blood by active transport. Define
active transport.
→ Active transport is the movement of large molecules through the cell
membrane against the concentration gradient by using energy from respiration
and proteins.

d.) Give one example, other than glucose, of a substance that is reabsorbed
into the blood from the renal tubule.
→ water, salts, minerals, ions (ex: sodium)

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e.) Dialysis is a treatment for kidney disease.

i.) The composition of the dialysis fluid changes as it passes through the
dialysis machine. Complete Table 5.1 using the words ‘low’, ‘high’, ‘same’ or
‘none’ to show how the concentration of each substance changes in the
dialysis fluid.

Concentration of substances in :
Substance Blood before Used dialysis Fresh dialysis
dialysis fluid fluid

Glucose Normal same

Salts High low

Urea High none

Toxins High High Low

ii) Explain how a dialysis machine filters blood.

1. Dialysis membrane is partially permeable
2. minerals/ salts/ ions/ urea move by diffusion
3. Move from high concentration to lower concentration AKA down the
concentration gradient
4. Water moves by osmosis
5. Osmosis moves from high to low water potential across the membrane
 6. Proteins are too large to move across membrane
7. Glucose is not removed by dialysis fluid because it has the same
concentration
8. Fresh dialysis fluid maintains a concentration gradient

f.) Kidney transplants are the most common organ transplants. Describe the
advantages of a kidney transplant compared with dialysis.
1. No need for regular hospital visits
2. Fewer diet restrictions
3. Feels less unwell/ pain after surgery
4. No needles permanently in arm

g.) Before a kidney is transplanted, it is important to match the tissue type

of the donor with the tissue type of the recipient. State why this is
necessary.
→ to avoid rejection which could stop the immune system attacking new kidney

3. a) Define the term excretion.

→ Excretion is the removal of the waste substances of metabolic reactions (the
chemical reactions that take place inside cells), toxic materials and substances
in excess of requirements from the body.
b.) The concentrations of solutes in the fluids at regions 1, 2. 3 and 4 were
determined. The results are shown in the table below.

State the substances in the table which :

i) has molecules which are too large to be filtered :
→ protein
ii) has molecules which are small enough to be filtered but is completely
reabsorbed from the fluid in the kidney tubule :
→ glucose
iii) increases in concentration as fluid moves along the kidney tubule :
→ urea and salts
c.) State three structures through which the fluid from region 4 passes as it
leaves the body.
1. ureter
2. bladder
3. urethra

d.) One role of the kidney is to maintain the concentration of the blood
plasma. Name the process of maintaining constant conditions within the
body.
→ Homeostasis

Excretion and Homeostasis PMT 2

1. The kidneys remove metabolic waste from the liquid part of the blood.
Name :
i.) the liquid part of the blood
→ plasma
ii) the process that involves removing metabolic waste from the body
→ excretion
This diagram shows a kidney tubule and its associated blood vessels :

b.) Describe the functions of the regions labelled A and B.

- A : ultrafiltration : small molecules from blood into the bowman’s capsule
are forced out under high pressure.
- B : Selective reabsorption : back into the blood capillaries such as glucose.

This table shows the concentration of some substances in the blood at X, the
fluid at Y and urine at Z.

c.) Name the substances shown in the table that :

i.) has molecules that are too large to pass through the walls of
capillaries
→ protein
ii.) is all reabsorbed in the kidney
 → glucose
iii.) is a metabolic waste product
→ urea

d.) Explain why the concentrations of sodium ions and urea are greater at Z
than at Y.
→ water has been reabsorbed by osmosis in collecting duct. There isn’t any
change at Z which is the sodium ions/ urea and solutes, but the volume of water
is less.

e.) People who have acute kidney failure are given dialysis treatment. In
dialysis machines, the blood flows through narrow tubes made from
partially permeable membranes, surrounded by dialysis fluid.

i.) Dialysis fluid contains sodium ions.

Use the information to suggest the concentration of sodium ions that should
be in the fluid and give your reason for your answer.
Concentration : 0.35g/100cm3
Reason →
- Same concentration as blood to prevent loss or gain of sodium ions
- prevents/ reduces osmosis
- Excess salts in the blood
- Diffusion from blood into dialysis fluid

ii.) State two components of blood that are not in dialysis fluid.
1. Red blood cells
2. White blood cells
3. Platelets
4. Named plasma proteins, ex: fibrinogen, antibodies
5. urea/ uric acids
6. Amino acids, etc

f.) Heparin is added to the blood before it returns to the body from the
dialysis machine. Heparin prevents a person’s blood from clotting. Describe
the process of blood clotting.
1. Platelets clots blood
2. Fibrinogen converted to fibrin which is insoluble
 3. thrombin/ enzyme
4. Network to trap blood cells

2.) The diagram below shows a vertical section of a kidney

a.) Name the parts E, F and G.

- E : cortex
- F : medulla
- G : ureter

b.) Substances move into and out of cells in kidney tubules.

The diagram shows four processes, H, J, K and L, that occur in cells lining
the kidney tubule. The net movement of substance is shown by an arrow, in
each case.
i.) Complete the table by stating the letter H, J, K or L, which identifies each
of the processes. Give a reason for each answer.

Process Letter Reasoning

Diffusion of oxygen H
oxygen diffuses from
high concentration to
low concentration, down
concentration gradient
into the cell

Active uptake of L
sodium ions sodium ions are moved
against their
concentration gradient
from low to high
concentration

ii.) Glucose is filtered from the blood. Usually all of it is reabsorbed by the
kidney tubules so that there is none present in the urine.

Name the part of the kidney where filtration occurs → glomerulus

iii.) Use the diagram above to describe how kidney tubules reabsorb
glucose from the filtrate.
→ Glucose is reabsorbed by active transport from the filtrate against the
concentration gradient by using energy.

c.) When plants are grown in a solution that includes a poison that prevents
respiration, the roots continue to absorb water, but do not absorb many
ions.
Explain this result.
→ Ions are taken up by active transport against the concentration gradient into
the root by energy that comes from respiration. Water is absorbed by osmosis
down the water potential gradient and doesn;t need energy. The diffusion of
ions will occur until equilibrium is reached.
3. a) Define the term excretion.
→ Excretion is the removal of the waste substances of metabolic reactions (the
chemical reactions that take place inside cells), toxic materials and substances
in excess of requirements from the body.

This diagram shows a kidney tubule and the blood vessels associated with it.

b.) Fill in the table :

Process Letter

Filtration of blood H

Reabsorption of most of solutes from the filtrate C

Water is absorbed by osmosis to determine the G

concentration of urine

Unfiltered blood returns to the renal vein D/E

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c.) The table below lists the components of blood, filtrate and urine.

Component Blood Filtrate Urine

Red blood cells YES NO NO

White blood cells YES NO NO

Plasma proteins YES NO NO

Glucose YES YES NO

Urea YES YES YES

Salts YES YES YES

Water YES YES YES

4.) A healthy kidney controls the excretion of urea and other waste products
of metabolism from the blood. After kidney failure there are two possible
treatments: dialysis or a kidney transplant.
The diagram shows how blood and dialysis fluid move through a dialysis
machine.

a.) Describe the changes that occur to the blood as it flows through the
dialysis machine from A to B.
1. Urea concentration decreases
 2. Water content can increase or decreases
3. Salt concentration decreases
4. Glucose levels could be increased, decreased or even stay the same

b.) Discuss the advantages of kidney transplants compared with dialysis.

→ advantages of kidney transplant :
1. Long term solution – person doesn’t need regular dialysis
2. An example of disadvantage of dialysis
3. Increased freedom
4. More efficient control of composition of blood
5. Can have wider diet
6. Cost is cheaper