Case 9 Flashcards
What is glomerular filtration based on?
Size and charge
What occurs in reabsorption?
Epithelial cell of renal tubules perform reabsorption.
In PCT, large amounts of electrolytes, glucose and filtered proteins are reabsorbed by active transport/passive diffusion
In DCT and collecting duct, epithelial cells respond to hormonal influences to reabsorb water and electrolytes
What occurs in secretion?
Tubules secrete substances from bloodstream into urine via tubular cells
Whta is excretion
Anything filtered and not reabsorbed is excreted as waste in urine
What is high creatinine levels indicative of?
Means there is a problem with the nephrons
Why is proteinuria unnatural?
Low molecular weight proteins pass easily through glomerular filtration barrier. Large proteins shouldn’t be able to pass through.
Proteins which pass the barrier are carried through renal tubules wit filtrate. Proteins are usually reabsorbed by endocytosis by renal epithelial cell (particularly in PCT) where they are hydrolysed into AAs and return to circulation.
Almost all filtered protein is reabsorbed but a very tiny amount is excreted (eg Tamm- Horsfall protein aka uromodulin)
How much protein is lost in a healthy individual in 24hrs?
<150mg
What are the classifications of proteinuria?
Overflow e.g. Rhabdomyolysis
Glomerular eg diabetic nephropathy
Tubular eg acute tubulointestinal nephritis
What is overflow proteinuria?
Excess low molecular proteins means more proteins are crossing the glomerular barrier so more is being excreted
Can be excess myoglobin, haemoglobin (due to rapid intravascular haemolysis)
What is rhabdomyolysis?
Rhabdomyolysis is a rapid breakdown of excess skeletal muscle - can cause excess myoglobin to be released (myoglobin is toxic so can cause acute kidney injury)
Whats the difference between haematuria and haemoglobinuria?
Haemaglobinurea is due to overflow
Haematurea is due to bleeding in the urinary tract
What is glomerular proteinuria?
Due to damage to the glomerulus allowing larger than normal proteins to be let through
Albumin is predominantly lost (its about the same size as the normal glomerular pores and has flexible ellipsoid shape)
What is diabetic nephropathy?
A secondary glomerulopathy
glomerular damage occurs secondary to something else
What is tubular proteinuria?
Can occur f tubules are diseased or damaged and not able to reabsorb filtered proteins as well as normal
What is tubulointerstitial nephritis?
Tubulointerstitial = kidney disease that involve structures around glomerulus
Can lead to tubular dysfunction with or without renal failure
Can be acute or chronic. Acute caused by drugs (nephrotoxic drugs)
What are 4 nephrotoxic drugs that are the most common cause of acute kidney injury in hospitalised patients?
NSAIDs
ACE inhibitors
Aminoglycoside antibiotics eg gentamicin
Contrast agents
What mechanism leads to the greatest protein loss?
Glomerular proteinurea
How does hyperglycaemia affect the kidneys?
Mainly effects efferent arteriole where non-enzymatic glycation of endothelial cells can lead to stiffening and narrowing of the vessel.
It can also directly activate the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system in the kidney
Angiotensin II has vasoconstrictive action on efferent arteriole increasing upstream pressure in the glomerulus
How does hypertension affect the kidneys?
Leads to increased flow in afferent arteriole increasing glomerular pressure further
Auto-regulation which normally protects from increased pressure, is altered in diabetes
How does diabetes effect sodium levels?
PCT work hard to reabsorb excess glucose which leads to increased Na reabsorption (co-transported).
Less sodium is delivered to macula dense in DCT meaning less stimulation if afferent arteriole vasoconstriction
What happens over time with hypertensive changes in the afferent arteriole?
Can result in vessel thickening and reduced lumen diameter meaning less blood supply to kidneys so ischaemia
What occur in relative ischaemia?
It recruited macrophages which secrete TGF-B causing menengial cells to secrete more ECM.
Excessive ECM leads to hardening and scarring in the glomerulus- glomerulosclerosis- which can lead to reduced capacity for filtration
What makes up the glomerular filtration barrier?
The glomerular capillary endothelial cells
Glomerular basement membrane
Podocytes