BRAINCAKEOsmoregulation
Osmoregulation is the control of the water potential of the body fluids, by regulating the amount of water and the concentration of solutes (such as sodium and chloride ions) in the blood and tissue fluid. It is one of the main examples of homeostasis.
Keeping the water potential of the blood and tissue fluid constant matters because water moves by osmosis from a higher (less negative) water potential to a lower (more negative) water potential across partially permeable cell membranes.
• If tissue fluid has a lower water potential than the cytoplasm, water leaves the cells by osmosis and they shrink (animal cells become crenated). Metabolic reactions are disrupted.
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Key terms in this lesson
- water potential
- A measure of the tendency of water molecules to move out of a solution, which determines the direction of osmosis.
More in Homeostasis
- Chemoreceptors
- Hormonal Control of the Heart
- Additional Responses
- Protein Homeostasis in the Liver
- Osmoregulation in Mammals
- Structure and Function of the Kidney
- Ultrafiltration
- Selective Reabsorption
All 41 lessons in Homeostasis · All Edexcel A-level Biology topics