Endocrine and Urinary system Flashcards
U: Main function of the Urinary system
Help the body eliminate urea (the byproduct of the breakdown of proteins)
U: Other functions
- Maintain volume of blood
- Maintains water concentration
- Maintain concentration of electrolytes
- Maintain pH balance
U: What is a nephron?
Are small filtering units that are responsible for producing urine and removing water soluble waste products from the blood
U: What structures make up a Nephron?
Glomerulus, Bowman’s capsule, Proximal convoluted tubule, Loop of Henle, Distal convoluted tubule, Collecting duct
U: Filtration, Reabsorption, Secretion and Excretion
Filtration- water solutes are coming from the blood into nephron into Bowman’s capsule
Reabsorption- Fluid that needs reabsorbed back into the blood
Secretion and Excretion- Nephron takes the urine down into the bladder
U: What is urea?
A waste product of amino acids.
It is released into the blood stream, filtered by the kidneys out of the blood and excreted in urine.
U: What is creatinine
A byproduct of muscle metabolism
U: What if urea and creatinine are high in a patient?
It can be a sign that the kidneys aren’t working very well
U: Bladder movements
-The bladder’s wall relax and expand to store urine
- The bladder’s wall contract and flattern to empty urine through the urethra
U: Function of the bladder and how does it work?
- To store urine
- Receptors in the bladder wall detect stretch when the bladder fills and alerts the brain.Which signals the bladder to tighten and squeeze urine towards the urethra whilst signalling the relaxation of the sphincter muscles for the urine the flow out and empty
E: Function of the endocrine system
To produce hormones which are released into the blood which stimulate distant areas of the body
E: Hypothalamus- what does it connect to?
Connects to the anterior and posterior pituitary
- Connects to anterior via blood supply
- Connects to posterior via nervous connections
E: Anterior pituitary gland
Hormone release to target organs
E: Posterior pituitary
Stores and release Oxytocin, ADH
- Has many neural connections
E: Pineal gland
Circadian rhythm
Releases melatonin
E: Thyroid gland
Controls the metabolism
Releases T3 and T4
Parathyroid gland
Regulate blood calcium, phosphorus and Vit D
- Specific action of PTH is to increase the number and activity of osteoblasts
E: Adrenal gland
Sit at the top of kidneys
Stress response, immunity and blood pressure
Release adrenaline
E: Pancreas
Blood sugar regulation and glycogen stores
E: Ovaries
Regulates menstruation and ovulation
Releases progesterone and oestrogen
E: Testes
Sperm production
Releases testosterone
How do kidneys work to produce urine?
- Blood passes into glomerulus. Walls of glomerulus allow smaller molecules, wastes and fluid to pass into PCT. Large molecules like proteins remain in the blood.
- A blood vessel runs alongside tubule, returning substances like water, minerals and nutrients
- Remaining fluid travels along loop of henle in collecting duct where it passes into the bladder as urine.
