- The functioning of the kidneys may be likened to
cleaning your room by throwing everything out the
window, then going outside to retrieve what you
wish to keep, such as jammies and slippers. Imagine
the contents of a room, liken them to the materials
in the blood (you yourself are a kidney), and
describe what happens to each, and why. - Explain why fatty acids are not found in urine.
Under what circumstances are water-soluble vita-
mins (such as vitamin C) found in urine? - Explain how a spinal cord transection at the level of
T11 will affect the urination reflex. - As part of his yearly physical for the college foot-
ball team, 20-year-old Patrick has a urinalysis,
which shows a high level of ketones. He is not
diabetic, and is not ill. What might cause the
high urine level of ketones? What blood chemistry
test (for nitrogenous wastes) would help confirm
this?- A patient being evaluated for food poisoning has a
blood pH of 7.33, a urine pH of 4.5, and a respira-
tory rate of 28 per minute. What kind of pH imbal-
ance is this? Explain your reasoning step by step. - Erythropoietin, called EPO, has become a drug
used illegally by some athletes. Which athletes use
EPO, that is, in what kind of sports? What benefits
are they hoping for? What part of a CBC would
indicate that an athlete is taking EPO? Explain. - After a 4-hour workout on a hot June day, the high
school track coach tells her group to keep drinking
plenty of water. The girls assure their coach that
they will know just how to determine if they are suf-
ficiently hydrated that evening, that they have their
color scheme memorized. What do they mean?
438 The Urinary System
FOR FURTHER THOUGHT