Final answer:
The correct answer is: yes; evidence for homeostatic regulation is shown by consistent blood osmolarity and varied urine osmolarity in different conditions. This indicates that kidneys are actively working to maintain internal stability despite changes in water intake.
Step-by-step explanation:
Does this data set provide evidence of homeostatic regulation? The correct answer is: Yes; the blood osmolarity is about the same in the two treatment groups, but the urine osmolarity is not.
Homeostatic regulation involves maintaining stable internal conditions, such as blood osmolarity and urea concentration. A hallmark of homeostasis is the ability to keep certain parameters constant despite external changes. For instance, regulation of blood osmolarity is a critical function of the kidneys, which adjust urine osmolarity to achieve this balance. If we observe a constant blood osmolarity across different conditions (like varying water intakes), yet differing urine osmolarities, it implies that the kidneys are actively regulating concentration to maintain internal equilibrium.
The kidneys fulfill this role by adjusting the reabsorption of water and solutes, influenced by hormones such as ADH (vasopressin). In a homeostatic system, even if mice have unlimited access to water (suggesting potential dilution in the blood), the kidneys can concentrate or dilute the urine to ensure that blood osmolarity remains stable. This is evidence that homeostatic mechanisms are in play.