Anatomy Of Urinary System Flashcards
What are the main functions of the kidney and urinary tract?
Excretion of waste products and drugs from blood
Regulates BP and Body fluid volume
Acid-base balance
Endocrine (Renin production for BP and Na+ balance), Erythropoietin (erythrocyte prod), prostaglandins (regulate renal function)
Metabolism - Vit D metabolised to active form
Catabolism of insulin, parathyroid hormone and calcitonin
What endocrine hormones does the kidney produce?
Renin
Erythropoietin
Prostaglandins
In terms of the peritoneum, where are the kidneys located?
Retroperitoneal organs
On posterior abdominal wall along side each side of the vertebral column
With reference to vertebral levels where are the kidneys located?
Between T12 and L3
What ribs partially protect the kidneys?
Ribs 11 and 12
How does the position of the left kidney compare to the right kidney?
Why?
The right kidney sits lower than the left kidney due to the liver being superior to it
What is the name of the inner curvature of each kidney where the blood vessels attach?
Hilum
What vertebral level is the Hilum?
L1
Normally the kidney is about 11cm and 6cm wide, how small does the kidney have to be to indicate CKD?
Less than 8cm indicates chronic kidney disease
What are the kidneys held in place by?
Fat
What are the layers of fat/layers holding the kidney in place from superficial to deep?
Paranephric/pararenal fat
Renal fascia
Perinephric/perirenal fat
Renal capsule
Then kidney
How do the ureters travel from the kidney with respect to the vertebra?
In line with the transverse processes of the Lumbar vertebra
What major blood vessels supply the kidneys?
What do they branch into?
Abdominal aorta branches into the right and left renal arteries which plug into the hilum of each kidney
Inferior vena cava branch’s to right and left renal vein
Why are the left and right renal arteries a different length to each other?
Left renal artery is longer since it needs to get past the inferior vena cava
The IVC is more on the RHS and the Abdominal aorta is more on the Left side
What are the 2 main parts to the kidney?
Renal Cortex
Renal medulla
What parts of the nephron are located in the renal cortex?
Glomerulus
Bowmanns capsule
Proximal Convoluted Tubule (PCT)
Distal Convoluted Tubule (DCT)
What parts of the nephron are located in the renal medulla?
Loop of Henle
Collecting ducts
Where and what are the dark triangles in the cross section of kidney?
They are renal pyramids located in the renal medulla
What is a renal lobe?
A renal pyramid with its overlying cortex
What is the name of the structure that the collecting ducts drain into leading from the renal pyramids?
Minor calyces is where the collecting ducts drain to, these then join up forming major calyces
What do the major calyces join to form?
Ureter
What are the 2 types of nephron?
Cortical nephron
Juxtamedullary nephron
What is the key defining difference between a cortical nephron and a juxtamedullary nephron?
Cortical = short Loop of Henle
Juxtamedullary = Long loop of Henle
What type of Arteriole brings blood to the glomerulus and what type of arteriole takes blood away from the glomerulus?
Afferent = blood Arrives at glomerulus
Efferent = blood leaves glomerulus