Physiology Kidneys: -removes most of the other substances besides carbon dioxide that are not needed by the

cells eg urea and uric acid, ions, water => urine -filtration via glomueruli into tubules then reabsorption of needed substances such as glucose, amino acids, water and many of the ions Regulation of arterial blood pressure eg baroreceptor: rapid acting control mechanism at bifurication of the carotid arteries in the neck, and aortic arch -stimulated by stretch a) increased stretch (high blood pressure) => signals sent to medulla => inhibit vasomotor center => decreases impulses to the heart and blood vessels (via sympathetic nervous system) => decreased heart pumping and vasodilation b) decreased stretch (low blood pressure) => opposite effects Body fluid compartments: 1) intracellular fluid -important ions in cells are potassium, magnesium, phosphate, sulphate, bicarbonate and smaller quantities of sodium, calcium and chloride 2) extracellular fluid a) interstitial fluid -more negative ions than blood plasma (repels plasma proteins) b) blood plasma -more positive ions (eg sodium, potassium) than interstitial fluid, plasma proteins bind to them as they are negative -higher concentration of proteins than intracellular fluids -transcellular fluid (synovial, peritoneal, pericardial, intraocular spaces) -average blood volume of an adult is about 5 liters (7% of body weight) -60% blood plasma, 40% RBC -hematocrit = fraction of blood composed of RBC (0.4 in males, 0.36 in females) -severe anemia: haematocrit can drop to 0.10 -polycythemia : haematocrit can rise to 0.65 Water is present in most cells (apart from fat cells) in a concentration of 70-85% (the remaining are mostly proteins, structural and functional proteins) INTAKE: -2L of water ingested each day -200ml of water produced each day from oxidation of carbohydrates -2.3L in total OUTAKE: -continuous loss of water (evaporation from respiratory tract and diffusion via skin, which is independent from sweating) -diffusion via skin is minimized by cholesterol filled cornified layers (can be compromised by burns)

-sweating (variable, depends on physical activities and environment) -100ml/day normally => 1 or 2L/hour in hot weather/exercise -feces (small amount) -by the kidneys (adjust excretion rate of water and electrolytes) Osmosis and osmotic pressure -osmosis = net diffusion of water across a selectively permeable membrane from a higher water concentration to a lower concentration -total of number of particles in a solution is measured in osmoles (1 osmoles = 1 mol = 6.02 x 10^23 solute particles) -osmolality = osmolal concentration of a solution (osmoles/kg of water) -osmolarity = osmolal concentration of a solution (osmoles/L of solution) -osmotic pressure = pressure required to prevent osmosis -osmotic pressure is directly proportional to the concentration of osmotically active particles in solution