Chapter 18 - Urinary System Flashcards
kidneys
A pair of bean-shaped organs on either side of your spine, below your ribs and behind your belly. The kidneys’ job is to filter your blood. They remove wastes, control the body’s fluid balance, and keep the right levels of electrolytes. All of the blood in your body passes through them about 40 times a day.
ureter vs urethra
The ureter is a small tube, or duct, that connects the bladder and kidneys. Urine passes through the ureter from the kidneys to the bladder.
The urethra is the tubular path that connects the bladder to the body’s exterior, allowing urine to exit the body.
The body has two ureters but only one urethra.
How many holes do female genitals have?
Two.
There are two openings in the vulva — the vaginal opening and the opening to the urethra (the hole she pees out of).
The urethral opening is the tiny hole that she pees out of, located just below the clitoris.
The vaginal opening is right below the urethral opening. It’s where menstrual blood leaves the body, and babies are born. A variety of things can go inside the vagina, like fingers, penises, sex toys, tampons, and menstrual cups.
vulva
the outer part of the female genitals
bladder
A hollow muscular organ in humans and other vertebrates that stores urine from the kidneys before disposal by urination. It is located in the pelvis in humans.
uremia
also referred to as uremic poisoning
the condition of having high levels of nitrogen-containing waste products in the blood (urea)
urea
a nitrogen-containing waste product normally excreted in urine
retroperitoneal
the anatomical space (sometimes a potential space) behind (retro) the peritoneum
potential space
a space between two adjacent structures that are normally pressed together
appose (verb)
to place in juxtaposition or proximity
juxtaposition
the act or an instance of placing two or more things side by side often to compare or contrast or to create an interesting effect
proximate
- immediately preceding or following (as in a chain of events, causes, or effects)
- very near : CLOSE
- soon forthcoming : IMMINENT
renal fat pad
a heavy cushion of fat that normally encases each kidney and helps hold it in place
hilum
the part of the kidney that the vessels, nerves, and the ureter connect to
renal cortex
the outer part of the kidney
renal medulla
the inner portion of the kidney
renal pyramids
the triangular divisions of the renal medulla of the kidney
renal column
A column-like extension of the renal cortex in the renal medulla
renal papilla (plural: papillae)
the narrow, innermost end of a renal pyramid
renal pelvis
also called kidney pelvis
The area at the center of the kidney. Urine collects here and is funneled into the ureter, the tube that connects the kidney to the bladder.
calyx (plural: calyces)
a division of the renal pelvis (the papilla of a pyramid opens into each calyx)
nephron
The minute or microscopic structural and functional unit of the kidney. It is composed of a renal corpuscle and a renal tubule.
renal corpuscle
It is the blood-filtering component of the nephron of the kidney.
It consists of a glomerulus (a tuft of capillaries composed of endothelial cells) and a glomerular (glomerulus-covering) capsule known as Bowman’s capsule.
tuft
(1) a small cluster of elongated flexible outgrowths attached or close together at the base and free at the opposite ends (e.g. grass, hair)
(2) clump, cluster
(3) mound
renal tubule
One of millions of tiny tubes in the kidneys that returns nutrients, fluids, and other substances that have been filtered from the blood (but that the body needs back) back to the blood. The remaining fluid and waste in the renal tubules become urine.
cortical nephrons vs. juxtamedullary nephrons
Cortical nephrons make up 85% of nephrons and are located almost entirely in the renal cortex.
Juxtamedullary nephrons have their renal corpuscles near the junction (juxta) between cortex and medullary layers.
What is the path that filtrated blood plasma takes through the renal tubule?
Filtration of the blood plasma takes place in the renal corpuscle. After leaving the renal corpuscle, the filtrate passes through the renal tubule in the following order:
1. proximal convoluted tubule (found in the renal cortex)
2. loop of Henle (mostly in the medulla)
3. distal convoluted tubule (found in the renal cortex)
4. collecting tubule (in the medulla)
5. collecting duct (in the medulla)
The collecting ducts then descend towards the renal pelvis and empty urine into the ureter.
endothelium
A thin membrane that lines the inside of the heart and blood vessels. It is made up of endothelial cells.
Endothelial cells release substances that control vascular relaxation and contraction as well as enzymes that control blood clotting, immune function and platelet (a colorless substance in the blood) adhesion.
hemodialysis
A procedure where a dialysis machine and a special filter called an artificial kidney, or a dialyzer, are used to clean your blood. To get your blood into the dialyzer, the doctor needs to make an access, or entrance, into your blood vessels. This is done with minor surgery, usually to your arm.
renal failure
Also called kidney failure.
It means one or both kidneys can no longer function well on their own. Sometimes, kidney failure is temporary and comes on quickly. Other times, it is a chronic condition that can get worse slowly over a long time.