The Integrative Aspects of Fluid and Electrolyte Balance in Birds

拟议的研究是研究两个器官系统是如何整合的 来调节鸟类的体液和电解质。 在哺乳动物中， 肾脏（尿液）被输送到储存器官， 膀胱 这种尿液，一旦离开肾脏，就不会被修改。 鸟类没有膀胱来储存尿液。 而是 尿液由输尿管输送到输尿管的末端段。 胃肠道（泄殖腔）。 尿液不会留在这里。 它是通过结肠肌肉的反向运动进入结肠的 层次。 在结肠中，由肾脏形成的尿液可以被改变。 鸟类的肾脏和结肠是如何整合成一个单位的， 以协调的方式起作用以维持流体和电解质 平衡不被理解。 该提案中概述的研究是 旨在回答这个基本问题的某些方面。 一 该建议的第二个方面涉及氮的化学性质 鸟类的排泄物 哺乳动物（包括人类）排泄的大部分 尿素是一种水溶性化合物。 鸟类排泄物 以尿酸的形式存在的废氮，一种非常不溶于水的物质 化合物. 以尿酸的形式排出氮可能会导致以下问题： 肾结石的形成和人类一样。 然而，鸟类排泄物 肾结石的症状有哪些？ 这如何 发生的事情不理解。 这项赠款提案的一部分涉及 研究的目的是为了回答这个非常基本的问题， 问题

The proposed research is to study how two organ systems are integrated to regulate fluid and electrolytes in birds. In mammals the output of the kidneys (the urine) is conveyed to a storage organ, the urinary bladders. This urine, once it leaves the kidneys is not modified. Birds do not have urinary bladders to store the urine. Instead the urine is conveyed by the ureters to the terminal segment of the gastrointestinal tract (the cloaca). The urine does not remain here. It is carried into the colon by a reverse action of the colonic muscle layers. In the colon, the urine formed by the kidneys can be modified. How the kidneys and colon of birds are integrated into a unit that functions in a concerted fashion to maintain the fluid and electrolyte balance is not understood. The research outlined in this proposal is directed toward answering some aspects of this basic question. A second aspect of the proposal deals with the chemistry of nitrogen excretion in birds. Mammals (including humans) excrete the majority of waste nitrogen as urea, a very water soluble compound. Birds excrete waste nitrogen in the form of uric acid, a very water insoluble compound. Excreting nitrogen as uric acid could lead to problems of kidney stone formation as it does in humans. However, birds excrete large amounts of uric acid without forming kidney stones. How this occurs is not understood. A portion of this grant proposal deals with research that is directed toward answering this very fundamental question.