Urinary Anatomy Study Guide Flashcards

1
Q

What are the major organs of the urinary system

A

kidneys, ureters, urinary bladder, urethra

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2
Q

kidneys

A

major excretory organs, create urine

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3
Q

Ureters

A

transport urine from kidneys to bladder

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4
Q

Urinary bladder

A

temporarily stores urine

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5
Q

Urethra

A

transports urine out of the body

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6
Q

How do the kidneys maintain homeostasis

A

Regulate total water volume 1and solute concentration
Regulating ion concentrations in extracellular fluid
Ensuring long term acid base balance
Excreting metabolic wastes, toxins, drugs
Producing erythropoietin
Producing renin
Activating vitamin d
Carrying out gluconeogenesis (production of glucose)

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7
Q

Renin

A

regulate blood pressure

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8
Q

erythropoietin

A

regulate rbc function

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9
Q

What structures enter/exit the renal hilum?

A

Ureters, blood vessels, lymphatics, nerves

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10
Q

3 layers surrounding the kidney

A

renal fascia (superficial), perirenal fat capsule (middle), fibrous/renal capsule (deep)

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11
Q

Renal ptosis

A

1 or both kidneys drop to a lower position
- Caused by loss of surrounding fatty tissue (emaciation/rapid weight loss)
- Can lead to kink in ureter and back up of urine into kidney

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12
Q

Hydronephrosis

A

backup of urine into the kidney because of ureteral obstruction or infection (like UTI) – can cause kidney damage, tissue death, renal failure

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13
Q

Pyelonephritis

A

inflammation or infection of the kidney, usually extensions of UTIs (can cause kidney to swell, abscesses form, and pelvis fills with pus)

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14
Q

dialysis

A

Process of removing waste and extra fluid from the body when the kidneys are unable to

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15
Q

order of urine flow from origination in the nephrons to exiting the body through the external urethral orifice.

A

Urine is created in the nephron and drains continuously through the renal papillae
Renal pyramid
Minor calyx
Major calyx
Renal pelvis
Ureter
bladder
urethra

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16
Q

order of arterial blood flow into the kidney starting with the aorta.

A

Aorta → renal artery → segmental artery → interlobar artery → arcuate artery → cortical radiate (interlobular) artery

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17
Q

Memorize the order to venous blood flow out of the kidney starting with the cortical radiate veins.

A

Cortical radiate (interlobular) veins → arcuate veins → interlobar veins → renal vein → IVC *no segmental veins

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18
Q

function of a nephron

A

Structural and functional unit of the kidney, it forms urine
- Makes cell-free and protein-free filtrate from blood
- Chemicals are either added/subtracted from filtrate
- Filtrate is emptied into collecting ducts where it becomes urine

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19
Q

What are the 2 parts of a renal corpuscle?

A
  • Glomerulus: tuft of capillaries
  • glomerular/bowman’s capsule: hollow structure that surrounds glomerulus and is continuous with renal tubule, has parietal and visceral layer, and filtrations slits (filtration slits: clefts/openings between foot processes. Filtrate passes through these slits and into the capsular space)
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20
Q

type of endothelium that makes up the glomerulus

A

Fenestrated endothelium - highly porous, allowing efficient formation of filtrate

21
Q

podocytes

A

Branching epithelial cells in the visceral layer of the glomerular capsule. They terminate in foot processes. they function in protection of filtrate

22
Q

3 parts of the renal tubule

A

Proximal convoluted tube: closest to the renal corpuscle
Nephron loop: u-shaped, hairpin turn, has ascending and descending limbs Distal convoluted tube: furthest from the renal corpuscle, drains into collecting duct

23
Q

PCT structure

A

cuboidal cells with dense microvilli that form a brush border
- Increased surface area
- Large mitochondria

24
Q

Nephron loop structure

A

u shaped structure with two limbs

25
Q

DCT structure

A

cuboidal cells with very few microvilli

26
Q

PCT function

A

reabsorption of water + solutes and secretion of substances, confined to renal cortex

27
Q

DCT function

A

secretion, less absorption, confined to renal cortex

28
Q

Nephron loop function

A
  • Descending limb: proximal part is continuous with PCT; distal part (descending thin limb) is simple squamous epithelium
  • Ascending limb: typically thicker, cuboidal and columnar cells, right side
29
Q

Collecting ducts

A

run side by side through medullary pyramids and receive filtrate from many different nephrons

30
Q

Fused collecting ducts

A

deliver urine through the renal papillae to the minor calyces

31
Q

two major types of cells within collecting ducts

A

Principal cells
Intercalated cells

32
Q

Principal cells

A

more plentiful, sparse, short microvilli, maintain the body’s water/Na+ balance

33
Q

Intercalated cells

A

cuboidal cells with abundant microvilli, exist in types A and B – both help maintain the acid base balance of blood

34
Q

two classes of nephrons

A

cortical (85%) and juxtamedullary (15%)

35
Q

cortical nephrons

A

Almost entirely in the cortex
Peritubular capillaries

36
Q

Juxtamedullary nephrons

A

Originate near the cortex - medulla junction
Have long nephron loops that deeply invade the renal medulla
Important for the production of concentrated urine
Vasa recta

37
Q

Glomerulus

A
  • Its capillaries are specialized for filtration
  • 99% of filtration will be absorbed
  • Glomerular Capillaries are fed and drained by arterioles - O2 is not dropped off
38
Q

afferent arterioles

A

enter the glomerulus
Arises from the cortical radiate arteries

39
Q

Efferent arterioles

A

leave the glomerulus
Feeds into the peritubular capillaries/vasa recta

40
Q

Peritubular capillaries

A
  • Lower pressure, porous capillaries adapted for reabsorption of water solutes from the filtrate within the renal tubule
  • arise from efferent arterioles and cling to any adjacent renal tubules in the cortex
  • Empty into into venules → cortical radiate veins
41
Q

What keeps the pressure high within a glomerulus?

A

The afferent arteriole is larger than the efferent arteriole, so blood pressure in the glomerulus is high – increased filtration

42
Q

Memorize the order to venous blood flow out of the kidney starting with the cortical radiate veins.

A

Cortical radiate (interlobular) veins → arcuate veins → interlobar veins → renal vein → IVC *no segmental veins

43
Q

Where do the nephron’s glomerulus, peritubular capillary, and afferent + efferent arterioles fit into the pathway of blood flow that you memorized above?

A

(first five steps) → Cortical radiate arteries → afferent arteriole → glomerulus → efferent arteriole → peritubular capillaries → venules → cortical radiate veins → (next 4 steps)

44
Q

JGC

A

Juxtaglomerular complex, Found in each nephron, region where the most distal portion of the ascending limb of the nephron loop lies against the afferent arteriole feeding the glomerulus
- Both structures are modified at the point of contact
- Plays important role in regulating the rate of filtrate formation and systemic blood pressure

45
Q

3 cell populations of the JGC

A

macula densa, granular cells (juxtaglomerular cells), extraglomerular mesangial cells

46
Q

Macula densa

A
  • Tall, closely packed cells in the ascending limb of the nephron loop
  • Chemoreceptors that sense the NaCl content of filtrate entering the DCT
47
Q

Granular cells (juxtaglomerular cells)

A
  • enlarged smooth muscle cells in the afferent arteriole wall
  • Act as mechanoreceptors to sense blood pressure in the afferent arteriole
  • Contain secretory granules for the enzyme renin
48
Q

Extraglomerular mesangial cells

A
  • Located between the arteriole and tubule cells
  • Interconnected by gap junctions
  • May pass regulatory signals between macula densa and granular cells