Blood Flow

Topic 

Blood Flow

Instructions

Using the readings and power points for this week trace a drop of blood from its entrance into the renal artery to its exit out of the renal vein as it passes through the kidney. Name in sequence, the vessels along the way, and explain what happens during glomerular filtration, tubular reabsorption, and secretion.

Answer Preview 

At the tip of each nephron, there is a sac of capillaries called the Glomerulus. Their function remains that of filtering materials from the blood to ensure the elimination of any contaminants in the body. This occurs under extremely tight pressure which is almost four times the pressure in any other capillary. Due to the need for high pressure within the kidneys, they produce a vessel-constricting protein called angiotensin which helps the body retain sodium and water and hence they help in controlling the body blood pressure.

Word Count: 300