Analogy of the kidney

By making bread pudding

Crash course biology; https://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtrYotjYvtU
Crash Course : Anatomy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l128tW1H5a8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DlqyyyvTI3k
 The blood
The particles of bread inside its liquid represent the blood cells and plama- that
needs to be cleaned
 Inside the Bowmans capsule
About 20% of everything from the blood that can fit through the glomerulus wall ( yellow sieve) is filtered into
the bowmans capsule, so that only blood cells and large molecules like large proteins stay behind. Due to the
nature of filtration, all the parts that fit through the holes is now in the Bowmans capsule (silver bowl) as
filtrate. This includes things the body wants like sugar and salts.
 Proximal convoluted tubial
proximal means close; so the first convoluted ( curvy) tubial (tube) of the nephron
80 % of the filtrate will be reabsorbed as it is useful to the body, such as glucose,
amino acids and and 85 % of mineral ions ( Na, K) are reabsorbed by active
transport. There are lots of mitochondria in the cells near here as this takes energy
( ATP). Half the urea is also reabsorbed by diffusion, so only half is ultimately
removed as urine.
 Loop of Henle ( nephron Loop)
The medulla is made very salty by the Loop of Henle pumping sodium and chloride ions out of the filtrate into the tissue fluid The descending part of loop is different to the ascending part of the loop .
Going down the loop of Henle
Water leaves the filtrate by osmosis, due to the saltiness of the medulla. This
makes the filtrate more concentrated.
 Ascending loop of Henle
The loop pumps out sodium and chloride ions. Water cant move out of the filtrate by osmosis as this part of the
loop has a membrane which is impermeable to water. This means the saltiness of the tissue stays high, 3 times
higher than sea water, assisting water re-absoption.
 Distal Convoluted Tubule
Distal (distance) means further away, from glomerulus
Active transport occurs here as controlled by hormones. It is here the final
concentration of the urine is determined, supporting homeostasis.
Ethanol, toxins, drugs and other foreign substances are secreted in the urine here
too.

Collecting Duct
As the water leaves into the salty part of the medulla by osmosis through
aquaporines ( water channels in the cell membrane)the filtrate now called urine is
made more concentrated, conserving more water. This are controlled by ADH, a
hormone. ( Alcohol interferes with ADH with predictable results!!)
The collecting ducts all join together in the pelvis to form the ureter, which leads to
the bladder.
The End