Living off of one kidney?

QUESTION:
How can a person life off of one kidney? Is it possible?

ANSWER:
Some people are born with one kidney and others have kidney failure which can lead to the removal of a kidney. How are they able to function?

If a person only has one kidney, that kidney has to adjust and filter, normally what two kidneys would do. The nephrons compensate by growing larger in size, through a process called hypertrophy. They do this so they can handle all the liquid that they need to filter in just one kidney. Usually heathly person with one kidney will have no other effects. If a person is born without one kidney, the other kidney usually grows much larger (almost the size of two kidneys put together) in order to porperly do its job.

FACTS:
Being born with one kidney is more common in males.
Having one large kidney, is delicate and is more prone to injury.
Those enrolled in sports must take extra precautions and wear more padding.
Those with one kidney should have more doctors checkups.
Slightly higher blood pressure can result.
Frequent urine tests should be done.
Should take precautions when taking medicines (Advil, Tylenol, etc.)

WEBSITES:
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=how-can-you-live-without
http://www.kidneyresearchuk.org/health/factsheets/ckd-and-issues/living-with-one-kidney.php

PLAYLAND!!!

Heart-rate
As I came near the ride/the line-up became shorter my heart rate increased more. I did not get any readings on my heart rate, but I did measure my heart-rate manually. At the top of the wooden roller-coaster and at the top of atmosphere my heart rate definately increased, as I panicked a bit because of  being so high up.

I think heart rate is affected by rides because we develop some anxiety, our body becomes more aroused and our body needs to deliver blood around much faster than usual, as a result of being nervous.

My breathing rate was affected by rides. At the end of the line up my heart rate was really slow and I was calm, but towards the ride I became more agitated and my heart rate increased. Rides like the wooden roller coaster, breakdance, and atmosphere made my heart-rate increase. However rides like the scrambler, enterprise, music express, and corkscrew did not make me panick because I am use to going on those rides, and ride them more often than the others.

Other physiological effects I experienced were becoming sweaty, feeling nauseated, obviously an increase in heart rate, and becoming unappetized. To explain these symptoms, the sympathetic system became dominant and helped our body deal with rides.

Quiz Review

Labelling

 

Compare:
Pulmonary circulation includes sending blood to the lungs.
Starts in the RA with deoxygenated blood, to the RV, and then to the pulmonary trunk, pulmonary arteries, and then to the pulmoary capillaries (where the blood is oxygenated and the Carbon Dioxide is removed). Oxygenated blood returns to pulmonary vein via LA.
Systematic circulation includes sending blood to the body.
Starts in the LA with oxygenated blood, to the LV, and then to the aorta branching off into capillaries (gas exchange Carbon Dioxide in blood, Oxygen in cells). Deoxygenated blood enters the superior and inferior vena cava via the RA.

Veins mainly carry deoxygenated blood. They are stretch-able, and hold the most ammount of blood (acts as a resevoir). Carry blood to the heart, from the body.
Arteries mainly carry oxygenated blood. They carry blood away from the heart to the body.

Circulation:
Oxygenated blood starts at the carotid artery
Deoxygenated in the head
Deoxygenated blood moves down jugular vein.
Deoxygenated blood in through inferior vena cava (some from superior vena cava)
Enters the right atrium
Passes the right AV Valve (tricuspid)
In to the Right Ventricle
Up through the the pulmonary trunk/pulmonary semi-lunar valve
Deoxygenated bood leaves the heart via pulmonary artery
Lungs make the blood oxygenated
Blood enters pulmonary vein
Down to the left atrium
Passes the left AV Valve (Bicuspid)
Down left ventricle
Through the Aortic Semi-Lunar valve
Out through the Aorta!

Fetal Circulation:
1. The Foramen Ovale: hole between toe RA and the LA, serves as a povider of oxygen for the baby from the mom, obviously the baby cannot take in oxygen so the bypasses the lungs
2. Ductus Arteriosus: between pulmonary trunk and aorta, prevents blood from going into the lungs
3. Ductus Venosus: umbilical vein attaches to inferior vena cava, source of major blood flow

Lab: Heart Disection

The labeling of the heart is on Amber's blog!

1. The structure of the atria has thin muscular walls, is smaller, and flimsy. Whereas, ventricles have thick muscular walls, that pump blood to the body. The biggest difference is their size.

2. Veins mostly carry deoxygenated blood, they are a thin muscular valve, and have little elasticity. On the other hand arteries mostly carry oxygenated blood, have think walls, and have high elasticity tissues. The structure of veins are flappy because veins don't carry as high pressure of the blood in arteries.

3. The valves we found in the heart are tricuspid AV valve, mitral AV valve, and the semi-lunar valve. The tricuspid AV valve's function is to separate the right atrium and the right ventricle, preventing the flow back of blood. The mitral AV valve's function is to prevent the backflow of blood into the atria during the contractions of ventricles. The function of the semi-lunar valve is to allow the blood to flow from the atria to the ventricles, and to prevent the blood from
flowing back when the ventricles contract.

4. I was mainly surprised about actually noticing all te various structures in the heart that I did not notice last year as a peer tutor for science eight, or when I was in grade eight. I was also surprised about how bloody the wart actually was. It really made the whole dissecting "adventure" more interesting. Unlike when I was in grade eight, I did not know all the functions and structures I do now. This made me feel more intrigued and curious. I definitely enjoyed the heart disection the third time around!