5: Histology

Question 1

The kidneys maintain homeostasis of what?

Answer 1

Water and electrolytes

Question 2

What do the kidneys excrete?

Answer 2

Toxic metabolites

e.g urea and creatitine

Question 3

The kidneys are (exocrine/endocrine) glands.

What do they secrete?

Answer 3

endocrine glands

renin, erythropoietin

Question 4

Are the kidneys intraperitoneal or retroperitoneal?

Answer 4

retroperitoneal

Question 5

Which structures anchor the renal cortex to the pyramids of the renal medulla?

Answer 5

Renal columns

Question 6

What structures does the urine drain through to reach the minor calyces?

Answer 6

Renal papillae

Question 7

What is the renal capsule made up of?

Answer 7

Collagen

Question 8

What are the functional units of the kidneys?

Answer 8

Nephrons

Question 9

What are the two broad areas of a nephron?

Answer 9

Renal corpuscule

Renal tubule all the way up to collecting ducts

Question 10

Where does the renal corpuscle start and end?

Answer 10

Glomerulus

Question 11

Where do the renal tubules start and end?

Answer 11

After glomerulus

Before collecting duct

Question 12

What cup of squamous epithelium do capillaries invaginate in the glomerulus?

Answer 12

Bowman’s capsule

Question 13

What brings and drains blood from the glomerulus?

Answer 13

Afferent and efferent arterioles

Question 14

What is the specialised epithelium which lines glomerular capillaries?

Answer 14

Podocytes

Question 15

What is the connective tissue of the kidney called?

Answer 15

Mesangium

Question 16

How thick is the basal lamina of glomerular capillaries compared to normal cells?

Answer 16

Very thick

Question 17

What is the purpose of the mesangium?

Answer 17

Supports the glomerulus and clears debris

Question 18

What is the purpose of the proximal tubules of the kidney?

Answer 18

Reabsorbs water, protein, AAs, carbohydrates and glucose

Question 19

What is a feature of proximal tubular cells which allows them to absorb loads of stuff?

Answer 19

Big brush border, loads of microvilli

Question 20

How are

a) sodium
b) glucose and amino acids

absorbed by PCT cells?

Answer 20

a) Active transport and diffusion

b) Co-transport (SGLT2)

Question 21

Which organelles generate the ATP that PCT cells require to work?

Answer 21

Mitochondria

Question 22

What is the purpose of the loop of Henle?

Answer 22

Creation of a hyperosmotic environment

Question 23

What are the loopy blood vessels which supply the interstitium of the renal medulla and cortex?

Answer 23

Vasa recta

Question 24

What is the function of the distal convuluted tubules?

Answer 24

Acid-base and water balance

Question 25

Which hormone controls **water** reabsorption by the kidneys? "" **Na**""?

Answer 25

**ADH** **Aldosterone**

Question 26

Which hormone controls **sodium reabsorption** by the distal tubules?

Answer 26

**Aldosterone**

Question 27

Which hormone controls water absorption from the collecting ducts?

Answer 27

**ADH**

Question 28

What is the **juxtaglomerular apparatus**?

Answer 28

**Distal convoluted tubule** loops back and runs by **glomerulus**

Question 29

What are the three types of cells which make up the **juxtaglomerular apparatus**?

Answer 29

**Macula densa cells** (sense ion concentrations and send impulses to renin-producing cells and arterioles, adjusting filtration rate of glomerulus) **Juxtaglomerular cells** (secrete renin into afferent arterioles \> capillaries and out again) **Mesangial cells** (connective tissue, join distal convuluted tubule to glomerulus)

Question 30

Where is urine **produced**?

Answer 30

**Renal papilla**

Question 31

What kind of epithelium lines the conducting pathway for urine (i.e renal papilla to urethra)?

Answer 31

**Transitional epithelium** / **urothelium**

Question 32

What shape are the luminal cells of the urine conducting pathway i.e the cells which face the urine?

Answer 32

**Umbrella cells**

Question 33

What is found below the urothelium?

Answer 33

**Lamina propria** (connective tissue) ## Footnote **Smooth muscle**

Question 34

What smooth muscle lines the bladder?

Answer 34

**Detrusor muscle**

Question 35

Which type of autonomic nerve supplies the detrusor muscle?

Answer 35

**Parasympathetic**

Question 36

What are the changes in epithelium for the **urothelium** of the prostatic urethra to the a) membranous urethra b) penile urethra?

Answer 36

**a) Stratified columnar** **b) Stratified squamous** (mucosa)