Kidneys 1 - Overview & ADH

This lesson covers:

  1. The different functions of the kidneys: namely removing waste, and regulating the levels of water and ions in the blood 
  2. How 'filtration' and 'selective reabsorption' work 
  3. How the body regulates water levels using antidiuretic hormone (ADH)
Illustration showing the structure of kidneys and surrounding blood vessels.

What are the functions of the kidneys?

(Select all that apply)

Regulate water levels 

Remove urea

Regulate ion levels 

Remove carbon dioxide 

Regulate growth 

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Deamination 


amino / carbohydrates / proteins / deamination / urea / carbon dioxide / heart / kidneys 


  1. If the body has more acids than it needs, it can convert them into lipids or , which can be stored as an energy source for later.
  2. This process is known as , and takes place in the liver.
  3. The downside of this process is that it produces the waste product , which has to be excreted by the . 
amino
carbohydrates
deamination
urea
kidney

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Select two ways ions be removed from the body? 

By breathing 

By the liver

By the kidneys 

By sweating 

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True or false? Ions have many uses in the body, but if their concentration in the blood get too high, or too low, it can damage cells and make us ill. 

True

False

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Illustration of a water droplet

If we have too much water in the body, what could happen to our cells?

They could lose water and shrink

They could lose water and burst

They could gain water and burst

They could gain water and shrink

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Cells can gain or lose water by __________.

Osmosis

Active transport

Exocytosis

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Diagram showing the structure of a nephron, the functional unit of the kidney.

Each kidney contains millions of tiny units called .

nephrons

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Diagram showing the structure of a kidney tubule with a labelled section A.

What is the structure labelled A? 

Ureter

Nerve

Tubule

Capillary 

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Illustration showing the structure of the kidney with a labelled part marked X.

What is the structure labelled X? 

Tubule

Nerve

Ureter

Capillary 

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As blood passes through the kidneys, small substances like glucose, amino acids, and water, are absorbed from the blood into the kidneys.


What do we call this process? 

Selective reabsorption 

Urination

Filtration (or ultrafiltration)

Deamination 

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As the filtrate passes through the kidneys, useful substances like glucose are reabsorbed from the tubules, into the blood.


What do we call this process? 

Deamination 

Selective reabsorption 

Urination

Filtration

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Which substances are not filtered from the blood into the kidney tubules? 

(Select all that apply)

Red blood cells 

Water

Glucose 

Large proteins 

Amino acids

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Illustration of a hormone regulating water levels in the body.

Which hormone is responsible for regulating water levels in the body? 

Insulin

Antidiuretic hormone (ADH)

Thyroxine 

Adrenaline 

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Which part of the brain detects the level of water in the body? 

Cerebellum 

Cerebrum

Medulla

Hypothalamus 

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How the body responds to low water levels


tubules / blood / more / less / pituitary / medulla / hypothalamus


  1. A part of the brain called the detects the low concentration of water in the bloodstream.
  2. This causes it to send a signal to the gland, which tells it to release antidiuretic hormone (ADH).
  3. The ADH travels around the body in the , and stimulates the kidneys to reabsorb more water from the  into the blood. 
  4. This means that urine will be made, and the concentration of water in the blood rises. 
hypothalamus
pituitary
more
blood
tubules
less

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Does ADH increase or decrease the concentration of water in our bloodstream? 

Increase 

Decrease 

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What type of feedback does the body use to regulate water levels? 

Negative feedback

Inverse feedback 

Positive feedback

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