BIOL 373 midterm 2 Questions and
Answers 2026 Update
Why not only filter the 1% of filtrate that needs to be
excreted? - Correct Answers ✅filtering all then excreting
selected solutes is easier because there isn't a need for
specific transport mechanisms
-able to happen quickly
Why are the roles of the kidneys? - Correct Answers ✅1)
regulation of ECF volume and blood pressure
2) regulates plasma osmolarity (Na+,CL-)
3) regulates ion balances
4) excretion of waste
5) regulates plasma pH
6) endocrine
Describe the urinary tract pathway - Correct Answers ✅1.
fluid moves from plasma into nephrons (hollow tubules) in the
kidneys
2. nephrons modify the composition of the fluid as it passes
through
3. modified fluid leaves the kidneys and enters hollow tube
called ureter
4. ureters lead from kidney to bladder
5. bladder fills and expands until it conracts and expels urine
through a single tube called urethra
,BIOL 373 midterm 2 Questions and
Answers 2026 Update
What are the vascular elements of a nephron? - Correct
Answers ✅renal artery
smaller arteries
1) afferent arteriole
2) glomerulus (capillaries)
3) efferent arteriole
4) peritubular capillaries
5) vasa recta (juxtamedullary only)
What is contained in the cortex of the nephron? the medulla
of the nephron? - Correct Answers ✅cortex:
-all Bowman's capsules
-PCTs
-DCTs
medulla:
-Loop of Henle
-collecting ducts
What are the tubular elements of the nephron in order? -
Correct Answers ✅renal corpuscle (Bowman's capsule +
glomerulus)
proximal tubule
descending limb
Loop of Henle
,BIOL 373 midterm 2 Questions and
Answers 2026 Update
ascending limb
distal tubule
collecting duct
to bladder
Describe renal circulation in general - Correct Answers
✅artery -> capillary -> vein -> capillary -> vein -> heart
nephrons have 2 capillary beds (glomerulus capillaries and
pertitubular capillaries)
What is the difference between renal circulation in
juxtaglomedullary nephrons and corticol nephrons? - Correct
Answers ✅jutaglomerular nephrons go through vasa recta
Describe the detailed pathway of renal circulation - Correct
Answers ✅abdominal aorta -> renal artery -> branches of
smaller arteries -> 1. afferent arterioles -> 2. glomerulus
(capillaries) -> 3. efferent arteriole -> 4. peritubular
capillaries/ 5. vasa recta -> venules -> veins -> renal vein ->
vena cava
Overview of kidney function - Correct Answers ✅-kidneys
process over 180 L plasma/day but only 1.5 L secreted - 99%
of fluid is reabsorbed
1) filtration
2) reabsorption
, BIOL 373 midterm 2 Questions and
Answers 2026 Update
3) secretion
What is filtration? - Correct Answers ✅movement of
water/solute from blood into tubules
-occurs in renal corpuscles
-once in tubules, filtrate will be excreted if not reabsorbed
What is reabsorption? - Correct Answers ✅movement of
water/solute from filtrate back into blood (peritubular
capillaries)
What is secretion? - Correct Answers ✅removing molecules
from blood, adding them to filtrate
-much more selective than filtration
Where does filtration occur? - Correct Answers ✅only at
the glomerulus
-blood to lumen
What does urinary excretion depend on? - Correct Answers
✅filtration, reabsorption and secretion
amount of solute excreted = amount filtered - amount
reabsorbed + amount secreted
Answers 2026 Update
Why not only filter the 1% of filtrate that needs to be
excreted? - Correct Answers ✅filtering all then excreting
selected solutes is easier because there isn't a need for
specific transport mechanisms
-able to happen quickly
Why are the roles of the kidneys? - Correct Answers ✅1)
regulation of ECF volume and blood pressure
2) regulates plasma osmolarity (Na+,CL-)
3) regulates ion balances
4) excretion of waste
5) regulates plasma pH
6) endocrine
Describe the urinary tract pathway - Correct Answers ✅1.
fluid moves from plasma into nephrons (hollow tubules) in the
kidneys
2. nephrons modify the composition of the fluid as it passes
through
3. modified fluid leaves the kidneys and enters hollow tube
called ureter
4. ureters lead from kidney to bladder
5. bladder fills and expands until it conracts and expels urine
through a single tube called urethra
,BIOL 373 midterm 2 Questions and
Answers 2026 Update
What are the vascular elements of a nephron? - Correct
Answers ✅renal artery
smaller arteries
1) afferent arteriole
2) glomerulus (capillaries)
3) efferent arteriole
4) peritubular capillaries
5) vasa recta (juxtamedullary only)
What is contained in the cortex of the nephron? the medulla
of the nephron? - Correct Answers ✅cortex:
-all Bowman's capsules
-PCTs
-DCTs
medulla:
-Loop of Henle
-collecting ducts
What are the tubular elements of the nephron in order? -
Correct Answers ✅renal corpuscle (Bowman's capsule +
glomerulus)
proximal tubule
descending limb
Loop of Henle
,BIOL 373 midterm 2 Questions and
Answers 2026 Update
ascending limb
distal tubule
collecting duct
to bladder
Describe renal circulation in general - Correct Answers
✅artery -> capillary -> vein -> capillary -> vein -> heart
nephrons have 2 capillary beds (glomerulus capillaries and
pertitubular capillaries)
What is the difference between renal circulation in
juxtaglomedullary nephrons and corticol nephrons? - Correct
Answers ✅jutaglomerular nephrons go through vasa recta
Describe the detailed pathway of renal circulation - Correct
Answers ✅abdominal aorta -> renal artery -> branches of
smaller arteries -> 1. afferent arterioles -> 2. glomerulus
(capillaries) -> 3. efferent arteriole -> 4. peritubular
capillaries/ 5. vasa recta -> venules -> veins -> renal vein ->
vena cava
Overview of kidney function - Correct Answers ✅-kidneys
process over 180 L plasma/day but only 1.5 L secreted - 99%
of fluid is reabsorbed
1) filtration
2) reabsorption
, BIOL 373 midterm 2 Questions and
Answers 2026 Update
3) secretion
What is filtration? - Correct Answers ✅movement of
water/solute from blood into tubules
-occurs in renal corpuscles
-once in tubules, filtrate will be excreted if not reabsorbed
What is reabsorption? - Correct Answers ✅movement of
water/solute from filtrate back into blood (peritubular
capillaries)
What is secretion? - Correct Answers ✅removing molecules
from blood, adding them to filtrate
-much more selective than filtration
Where does filtration occur? - Correct Answers ✅only at
the glomerulus
-blood to lumen
What does urinary excretion depend on? - Correct Answers
✅filtration, reabsorption and secretion
amount of solute excreted = amount filtered - amount
reabsorbed + amount secreted
