Chapter 19 - Urinary System Flashcards
Functions
- filters metabolic wastes and toxins from plasma
- metabolizes drugs and toxins
- regulates electrolyte comp. and volume in plasma
- helps maintain blood pH and HCO3
- produces urine
- synthesizes hormones renin and EPO
Renin
hormone that helps regulate blood volume and BP
- constricts arterioles, stimulating aldosterone and ADH secretion
Erythropoietin
hormone that controls RBC formation and maturation
Nephron
- microscopic functional unit of the kidney
- renal corpuscle
- renal tubule
Renal corpuscle
- glomerulus
- Bowman’s capsule (visceral and parietal layers)
- macula densa
- juxtaglomerular cells
Renal tubule
- PCT
- loop of henle
- DCT
- sensory cells - point where the DCT makes contact w/ the macula densa
What is the order of function of the nephron?
1- blood enters glomerular capillaries from aff. arteriole; exits via eff. arteriole
2- filtrate enters Bowman’s space
3- PCT
4- Loop of henle
5- DCT
- most salts, water and nutrients are reabsorbed; additional waste products/drugs/toxins are secreted
6- collecting tubule, collecting duct
7- renal pelvis
Renal corpuscle
- filtration barrier
- capillary endothelial cells and visceral layer of bowman’s capsule and basal lamina - fenestrated capillaries
- podocytes have feet that envelop the capillaries
- glomerular filtration rate is about 120 mL/min
-fenestrated capillaries
PCT
- receive filtrate from Bowman’s space
- cuboidal epithelium w/ brush border and mitochondria
- majority of water and electrolytes reabsorbed here
- main site for reabsorption for nearly all organic nutrients like glucose and amino acids
- active transport couples to Na-K ATPase
Loop of henle
- U shaped part of renal tubule that extends into medulla
- reabsorbs 15-25% of H2O and salts - continues to absorb more water to maintain fluid homeostasis
Thin descending limb of loop of henle
- simple squamous epi
- permeable to H2O but not to salts
- H2O drawn out by osmosis due to hypertonic environment in medulla
Thick ascending limb of loop of henle
- simple cuboidal epithelium, lacking microvilli
- impermeable to H2O but reabsorbs salts
- responsible for hypertonic environment in medulla
DCT
- simple cuboidal epi, mainly mitochondria but no microvilli
- reabsorbs 5-15% of H2O and salts - final adjustment of K, H in tubular fluid
- principal site of active drug secretion, critical for drug elimination
- site of aldosterone action
Aldosterone action in DCT
- increases Na reabsorption and K secretion
- aids in NaCl retention
Juxtaglomerular apparatus
- group of cells adjacent to the glomerulus
- macula densa senses Na in filtrate
- if Na is low, JG cells secrete renin into aff. arteriole
- results in increase of BP and blood volume
- secrete EPO