1.1 Kidney overview

Question 1

What are the 4 main functions of the kidney?

Answer 1

Metabolism
Excretion
Endocrine
Regulation

Question 2

What happens if the kidney cannot control the volume of ECF produced?

Answer 2

Changes in blood pressure, tissue fluid and cell function

Question 3

If the kidney has poor osmolarity control, what will happen?

Answer 3

Cells with shrink or swell

Question 4

How do the kidneys help control blood pH?

Answer 4

They control the amount of bicarbonate in the blood plasma

Question 5

How many litres of blood are filtered through the kidney in a day?

Answer 5

180L

Question 6

Which microscopic feature of the kidney is the blood filtered through?

Answer 6

The nephrons

Question 7

What happens in the glomerulus?

Answer 7

Water, electrolytes and small molecules forced through by constant filtration pressure

Question 8

Where in the body do the kidneys lie?

Answer 8

Retroperitoneal area at T11/T12

Question 9

What happens in the proximal convoluted tubule?

Answer 9

Major site of reabsorption

Question 10

What happens in the distal convoluted tubule?

Answer 10

Removes more Na+ and Cl-
Actively secretes H+ ions
Water may move by osmosis

Question 11

What happens in the loop of Henle?

Answer 11

Creates a gradient of increasing osmolarity in the medulla. More salts are reabsorbed

Question 12

What happens in the collecting duct?

Answer 12

Passes through the high osmolarity environment of the medulla. Water moves to dilute urine