Imagine it: It’s a hot summer afternoon, but your home’s air system keeps you cool and comfortable. You rely on several systems for consistency in your everyday life—whether that be for staying warm, fed, or clean—and so does your body. Many of your body’s systems are devoted to maintaining your homeostasis, or state of balance, so you can function properly as your environment changes and you interact with it. This BioBox explores one organ critical to homeostasis: the kidney.
The kidneys are at the heart of your body’s filtration system. As your cells expel waste into your bloodstream, your kidneys filter them out and prepare them for expulsion. They also help keep your water levels stable, adapting to how much you’re drinking by releasing or withholding water as your body requires. Kidneys are essential for homeostasis, and in this BioBox you’ll learn all about them, from their microscopic functions to their role in discovering illnesses.
1. What parts of the body work with the kidneys?
2. What are the microscopic structures of the kidney?
3. How does the kidney filter blood?
4. How can urine determine your body’s health?
What an adventure – we are so glad you have joined us! Please let us know about your experiments: send pictures, give tips for other BioBoxers, share favorite results. Find us on Facebook and Instagram. #bioboxlabs
Will you be joining individually or using school funding?
