BBio 242 Summer 2015

PhysioEx Exercise 9: Renal System Physiology KEY

GRADING: 20 points total 10 points for general completeness, 5 points for specific answers for Activity 1, and 5 points
for specific answers for Activity 6.

Activity 1: The Effect of Arteriole Radius on Glomerular Filtration

Experiment: The setup is a model of glomerular filtration. The radius of the afferent and efferent arterioles can
be adjusted, and we can determine their effects on glomerular pressure, glomerular filtration rate, and urine
volume.
Prediction: Answers will vary.
Results: Glomerular pressure, glomerular filtration rate, and urine volume all increased as afferent arteriole
radius increased. (See table below.) Conversely, glomerular pressure, glomerular filtration rate (GFR), and urine
volume all decreased as efferent arteriole radius increased. At the extremes, at the largest afferent arteriole
radius (0.60 mm) and the smallest efferent arteriole radius (0.3 mL), urine volume was 267 mL; at the smallest
afferent arteriole radius (0.35 mm) and the largest efferent vessel radius (0.45 mm), urine volume was only 76
mL.
Conclusion: glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and urine production can be altered via vasoconstriction or
vasodilation of the afferent or efferent arterioles or both. On the one hand, GFR should be kept relatively
constant so that any toxins in the blood can be excreted promptly; on the other hand, lowering GFR is a good
way to conserve water when it is in limited supply.

Activity 2: The Effect of Pressure on Glomerular Filtration

Experiment: The setup is similar to that of Activity 1. This time the pressure of the incoming (afferent) blood
was varied. Also, a valve between the collecting collect and urinary bladder was opened and closed.
Prediction: Answers will vary.
Results: The data are shown in the table below. There were 2 main findings. First, increasing beaker pressure
(equivalent to blood pressure) from 70 mm Hg to 100 mm Hg increased glomerular pressure, glomerular
filtration rate (GFR), and urine volume. Second, closing the valve to the urinary bladder reduced urine
production to 0 and greatly reduced GFR (from 59 mL/min to 27 mL/min at a beaker pressure of 70 mm Hg and
from 158 mL/min to 118 mL/min at a beaker pressure of 100 mm Hg).
Conclusion: Combining these results with those of Activity 1, we can see that blood pressure and arteriole radius
can both impact GFR. A real-world parallel of the Activity 2 model is that hypertension (high blood pressure) will
lead to increased urine production.
BBio 242 Summer 2015

Activity 3: Renal Response to Altered Blood Pressure

Experiment: The setup was similar to that of Activities 1 and 2. This time the experiment focused on how GFR
could be kept relatively constant when blood pressure (as modeled by beaker pressure) changed.
Prediction: Answers will vary.
Results: Data are in the table below. When beaker pressure was reduced from 90 mm Hg to 70 mm Hg
vasodilating the afferent arteriole and vasoconstricting the efferent arteriole each individually increased
glomerular pressure and GFR toward the values seen at a beaker pressure of 90 mm Hg (55 mm Hg, 125
mL/min). When these two changes were made at the same time, glomerular pressure and GFR rose above the
90 mm Hg baseline values.
Conclusion: This activity highlights the power of autoregulation, the ability of nephrons to keep GFR relatively
constant in the face of changing blood pressures. In the absence of nervous system or endocrine system input,
local control is exerted by adjusting the radius of the afferent and efferent vessels.

Activity 4: Solute Gradients and Their Impact on Urine Concentration

Experiment: This setup is somewhat different from the one used in Activities 1-3. Here the beaker pressure and
afferent and efferent arteriole radii were kept constant, but the osmolarity of the medulla was varied between
300 and 1200 milliosmolar (mOsm).
Prediction: Answers will vary.
Results: The higher the osmolarity of the interstitial medulla, the less urine was produced and the more
concentrated the urine was. Increasing the medullas osmolarity from 300 mOsm to 1200 mOsm reduced urine
volume from 81 mL to 17 mL.
Conclusion: The osmotic gradient between the cortex and medulla is very important in enabling the kidney to
conserve water. The value of 1200 mOsm for the inner medulla is a physiologically realistic one and allows urine
to reach an osmolarity about 4 times that of blood. Some desert mammals, such as the kangaroo rat, have an
even more extreme osmolarity gradient and can produce even more concentrated urine than humans.
BBio 242 Summer 2015

Urine volume (mL) Urine concentration (mOsm) Osmolarity gradient (mOsm) ADH
81 300 300 Present
40 600 600 Present
27 900 900 Present
17 1200 1200 Present

Activity 5: Reabsorption of Glucose via Carrier Proteins

Experiment: Here the variable aspect of the setup was the concentration of carriers within the proximal
convoluted tubule (PCT though it doesnt look very convoluted in this model). How would glucose
concentration in the urine vary with carrier density?
Prediction: Answers will vary.
Results: As expected, increasing the number of glucose transporters reduces the glucose excreted in the urine.
When the glucose carriers are increased to 400, [glucose] in the urine drops to 0.
Conclusion: The 400-carrier, no-glucose-in-the-urine situation is typical of healthy adults. Glucose does not
normally appear in the urine except in cases of uncontrolled diabetes mellitus. The fact that glucose
reabsorption is carrier-dependent means that there is a maximum rate of reabsorption, so when plasma glucose
is really, some glucose will escape into the urine.
[glucose] distal tubule [glucose] in
glucose transporters osmolarity gradient (mOsm)
(mM) [glucose] (mM) urine (mM)
6.00 6.00 6.00 0 1200
6.00 4.29 4.29 100 1200
6.00 2.57 2.57 200 1200
6.00 0.86 0.86 300 1200
6.00 0.00 0.00 400 1200

Activity 6: The Effect of Hormones on Urine Formation

Experiment: Here the variable aspect of the setup was that aldosterone could be added to increase NaCl
reabsorption and K+ secretion in the distal tubule and collecting duct, or ADH could be added to increase water
reabsorption in the collecting duct, or both could be added simultaneously.
Prediction: Answers will vary.
Results: Urine volume could be decreased somewhat (from 201 mL to 181 mL) via aldosterone-stimulated NaCl
reabsorption. Urine volume could be decreased much more dramatically (to 13-17 mL) via ADH-stimulated
water reabsorption in the collecting duct. ADH and aldosterone both independently increased [K+] in the urine
by over 10-fold when both were present simultaneously.
Conclusion: Reducing the volume of urine maximizes the fluid that remains in the blood. Thus, aldosterone and
ADH provide useful hormonal responses to such disturbances as dehydration and low blood pressure. ADH and
aldosterone independently raise urine [K+] ADH by decreasing the volume of the solvent (water) and
aldosterone by increasing the amount of K+ present via exchange with Na+.
Urine volume Urine concentration Osmolarity
Urine [K+] (mM) Aldosterone ADH
(mL) (mOsm) gradient (mOsm)
6.25 mM 201 mL 100 1200 Absent Absent
10.42 mM 180.90 mL 100 1200 Present Absent
62.37 mM 16.86 mL 1200 1200 Absent Present
65.37 mM 12.67 mL 1200 1200 Present Present