Discuss the roles that sodium ions perform in the body.
Sodium is the most common cation in the body. Its concentration is much greater in the
extracellular fluid than in the intracellular fluid. You could discuss the maintenance of this
difference by the “sodium/potassium pump”. You should describe the normal concentrations of
sodium in the body. You could discuss how the concentration of sodium in the blood is regulated by
aldosterone and ANP, and is monitored by osmo-receptors in the hypothalamus. You may choose to
discuss sodium’s involvement in the transmission of an action potential; in the reabsorption of
water from the kidney filtrate; or sodium’s role in fluid and electrolyte balance or in hypertension.
Guidelines for submission (draft scored out of 5, 1st submission /40, revision /20)