Basic Physiology, NORMAL LABS Flashcards
What does the autoregulation response respond to and what is it?
- Rapid, normal fluctuations up or down in MAP within normal range
- The purpose is to maintain GFR, RBF constant under normal conditions
- The afferent arterioles are involved and are involved by a myogenic mechanism
- This mechanism is intrinsic to the kidney
What does the Hypovolemic response respond to and what is it?
- Responds to Chronic, significant drops in MAP below normal range due to hypovolemic events
- The purpose is to maintain GFR pretty much constant (small decrease) but reduce RBF during circulatory emergencies
- The afferent AND efferent arterioles are involved in this response
- Arterioles are regulated by baroreceptor reflex AND by direct sympathetic innervation AND by hormal action
- This reflex is both intrinsic to the kidney and it has extrinsic input as well
What role in the response to hypovolemia do renal prostaglandins play?
- Produced by renal interstitial cells in the kidney medulla
- They have a local dilatory effect on renal arterioles
- Secreted in response to angiotensin II presence
- The point is to maintain a decent renal blood flow to the tissue itself even if there is hypovolemia
- The tubular cells are super whiny to hypoxia
What are the two different sensors of decreased Mean Arterial Pressure in the Kidney?
- Stimulation of arterial baroreceptor reflex
* Juxtaglomerular barorecptor stimulation
Where are the baroreceptors that first sense a decline in MAP?
- Baroreceptors in the main arteries
- If the decrese is significant and long lasting, a baroreceptor reflex occurs in which the activity of the renal sympathetic nerve increases
- Sympathetic nerve action increases the constriction of both the efferent and the afferent arterioles which allows the GFR to be held pretty constant considering the change in pressure
What does the external baroreceptor reflex cause?
- Hormonally mediated constriction of the arterioles
* Through renin secretion and RAAS activation
The kidney doesn’t want to shut off completely even when it’s trying to shunt blood volume to the heart (response to hypovolemia). How does it compensate?
- There is both afferent and efferent arteriole constriction
- The afferent arteriole constriction will shunt blood away from the kidneys
- The efferent arteriole constriction will allow what blood does go through the proper forces to maintain GFR
What is the range of autoregulation for RPF, Pgc and GFR?
- 75-150 mmHg
* This is why malignant hypertension is so hard on the kidneys
The afferent arteriole will maintain Pgc consistely by what mechanism?
- Myogenic mechanism
- The smooth muscle in the afferent arteriole recognizes changes in pressure and constricts or dilates accordingly
- This can be overwhelmed but a healthy person operates within the range of accomodation
What is Pgc and what is it compared to major arteries?
- Pgc is the hydrostatic pressure in the blood vessels at bowmann’s capsule. This is the driving force for filtration in the glomerulus
- It is about 1/2 of MAP in major systemic arteries
- It really must be maintained at a constant level to allow for GFR to remain constant. The opposing forces to filtration don’t change so the pressure must be tightly regulated
Does the body regulate ECF primarily by changing GFR?
- No, the body works pretty hard to maintain GFR constant
* It changes the amount or specificity of reabsorption to control the ECF by controlling what is in the plasma
What determines the opposing forces to filtration at Bowman’s capsule?
• Hydrostatic pressure is the only force towards filtration in the capsule and that is controlled by blood pressure in the capillaries that pass by the capsule
• Backflow from the natural resistance of the filtration layers of the capsule provide a small anti-filtration force
• The largest anti-filtration force is the oncotic pressure that is exerted by large proteins albumin and immunoblobulins in the plasma that are not freely filterable
○ COP or colloid osmotic pressure
• Thus GFR= K(hydrostatic pressure - transmural pressure - oncotic pressure)
• The sum of forces is called the NFP OR NET FILTRATION PRESSURE
What is K in the GFR equation?
- GFR = K(NFP)
- K represents the total hydraulic conductivity of the kidneys
- How much fluid will flow across the glomerulus per unit of time for each unit of pressure
- Made up of p*A
- P is the specific hydraulic conductivity
- A is the surface area of all the glomeruli - the main contributor in the largeness of K
What is the normal value of NFP?
- Net filtration pressure
- P-gc = 46mm
- P-t = 10mm
- Pi-gc (oncotic pressure) = 30mm
- NFP = 6mm
How can Ohms law be extrapolated to GFR?
- GFR = change in pressure/resistance
- The pressure difference is across the filtration layers and R is the resistance of those layers to flow which doesn’t normally change so is given a constant value
What are the three barriers to filtration in the glomerular apparatus?
• Endothelium
○ Through the fenestrations
○ Pretty much only exclude circulating RBCs
• Basal lamina
○ Created and supported by the podocytes and the endothelial cells
○ Composed of mucoproteins
○ Essentially an agarose gel that filters stuff by size
• Podocytes
○ Interdigitating epithelial cell membranes and membrane slits that act as molecular sieves
What is the molecular size cutoff for filterability in the glomerulus?
60kDa
• Everything smaller then that has measured filterability, with the super small stuff being fully filterable
Where does filltration take place in the tubule?
- Across the capillary loops into Bowman’s capsule of the tubule
- The arterioles are the structures that regulate blood and plasma flow through the glomerulus
What are the cells that secrete renin?
- Granular cells, specialized smooth muscle cells of the afferent arteriole
- Part of the juxtaglomerular apparatus
What should be considered the normal level of HCO3?
• Low twenties mEq/L
What should be considered the normal BUN in the blood?
• 7-18 mg/dL
Which should be considered the normal sodium level in the blood?
• 140 mEq/L
What should be considered the normal protein level total in the blood?
• 6-8 gm/dL
What should be considered the normal potassium level of the blood?
• Around four mEq/L
What should be considered the normal osmolality of the blood?
• Close to 290 mOsm/kg
What should be considered the normal level of creatinine in the blood?
• Just about one mEq/L