final Flashcards
Where does Filtration happen and from which arteriole
Glomerulus and the Bowmans capsule
blood is received from the Afferent arteriole
Layers of the filtration membrane and their roles
- Fenestrated endothelium of glomerular capilaries
–> has pores to allow small things through, but BLOCKS blood cells - basement membrane
–> filters based on size and negative charge, blocking Large proteins - podocytes of bowman’s capsule
–> specialized cells with flits that further filter what enters the capsule
What gets flitered initially?
allowed:
- Water
- Na+, K+,Cl-
- Glucose
- Amino Acids
- Urea
- Creatine
Not:
- Plasma Proteins
- Blood Cells
What is the GFR regulated by
- Blood pressure
- blood volume
- constriction dilation of afferent and efferent arteriols
- hormones : renin, AT II and ANP
GLomerular Filtration takes place in?
renal corpuscle
Regulation of filtration:
Intrinsic
myogenic mechanism:
Afferent arteriole constricts when BP increases to reduce GFR
tubuloglomerular feedback:
Macula senses NaCl in distal tubule, signlas afferent arteriole to constrict if GFR is too high.
Regulation of filtration:
Extrinsic Regulation
- sympathetic nervous system
Norepinephrine is released
Causes vasoconstriction of the afferent arteriole
↓ GFR to conserve fluids
Also stimulates renin release from juxtaglomerular cells
→ which leads to RAAS activation 🔁
- RAAS
Activated by low blood pressure, low sodium, or SNS stimulation
Steps:
Renin released from JG cells
Converts angiotensinogen → angiotensin I
ACE (from lungs) converts I → angiotensin II
Angiotensin II does 3 things:
Vasoconstricts → ↑ BP
Stimulates aldosterone → ↑ Na⁺ & water reabsorption
Stimulates ADH → ↑ water reabsorption
Reabsorption:
what happens at PCT
- filtrat Na+, Cl-, glucose, amino acids, water
Uses active transport
Reabsorption at the loop of henle
water gets reasbosrbed @ descending limb
Na+/Cl- gets reabsorbed at ascending limb.
Creates concentration gradient in medulla
what gets reabsorbed at DCT
Na+, Cl- , Ca2+ (regulated by hormones)
What gets reabsorbed at collecting duct
Water (via ADH), Na+ (via aldosterone) , Urea
Tubular Reasborption Routes:
- Transcellular
- Paracellular
Transceullar route
- transport across apical membrane
- diffusion through cytosol
- transport across basolateral membrane
- movement thrugh interstitial fluid and into capillary - enters blood through endothelium of peritubular capplilares
Paracellular
- between tubule cells
- limited by tight junctions, but leaky in proximal nephron
- water, ca2+, mg2+ k+ move through this route v
Ordering the stages of spermatogenesis
Spermatogonia → Primary spermatocyte → Secondary spermatocyte → Spermatid → Spermatozoa
spermatogonia
type A & type B daughters
type B develops into primary spermatocytes
secondary spermatocytes (meiosis I)
spermatids (meiosis II)
spermatozoa (shed cytoplasm, form flagellum)
Ovarian ligament
anchors ovary medially to uterus
Broad Ligament
Supports blood vessels, ureter, uterine , utersus, vagina
Round ligament
bind uterus to anterior wall
Ovaries are surrounded by?
fibrous tunica albuginae (cuboidal epithelium)
Ovarian
Follicle cells vs Granulosa Cells
Follicle cells: oocyte is only one cell layer is present)
Granulosa Cells: If more than one layer presesnt
Follicles stages
- primordial follicle: single layer + oocyte
- primary & secondary follicle: several layers of granulosa cells + oocyte
- vesicular follicle : fully mature follicle
What is corpus luteum?
a temporary endocrine gland that forms in the ovary after ovulation
Female Duct system includes?
- Fallopian tubes
- Uterus
- Vagina
Fallopian tubes
receive ovulated oocyte and usual site of fertlization
- ciliated fimbriae create current to move oocyte into tube
- oocyte carried along toward uterus by smooth muslce peristalisis and ciliated cells.
- nonciliated cells of tube function to nourish oocyte and sperm
Uterus position and region
Function: to receive, retain, nourish fertilized ovum
Position:
- antegrade
- retrograde
Region:
- body
fundus
isthmus
cervix
cerivcal canal
–> cervical glands secrete mucus - blocks sperm except during midcycle
Sacs of peritoneum around uterus:
Vesicouterine, retouterine
Three layers of uterine wall
- periterium : outermost serous layer
- myometrium: middle layer, smooth muscle
–> contracts during childbirth by oxytocin - endometrium : mucosal lining, simple columnar, site of embryo implntation
–> stratum functionalis
–> stratum basalis
Mammary gland: milk passageway
millk passed into lactiferous ducts –> lactiferous sinuses that open to outside at nipple
What tissue is the pigmented skin surrounding nipple
Areolar
What limgaments attach breast to underlying muslce
suspensory ligaments.
In females, which hormone is primarily responsible for maintaining the uterine lining during the luteal phase?
Progesterone (produced by the corpus luteum) — it keeps the uterine lining thick and ready for implantation. 🌱
Which male reproductive gland secretes a fructose-rich, alkaline fluid that nourishes sperm and helps neutralize vaginal acidity?
Seminal Gland
–> produces fructose-rich, alkaline fluid that gives sperm energy and helps it survive the vaginal environmen
Which hormone is released by the anterior pituitary and triggers ovulation around day 14 of the cycle?
LH
FSH vs LH in the ovarian cycle
FSH (Follicle Stimulating Hormone): Helps mature the follicles early in the cycle.
LH: Surges around day 14 and triggers ovulation — the egg is released because of the LH surge.
In males, which gland is responsible for producing a clear mucus-like fluid that helps neutralize acidic urine in the urethra before ejaculation?
Bulbourethral glands
This pre-ejaculate helps neutralize leftover urine acidity and lubricates the urethra for the sperm’s smooth ride
What is the inner lining of the uterus that thickens each month and sheds during menstruation if no implantation occurs?
Endometrium = the inner lining that thickens → supports implantation → and sheds during menstruation if there’s no pregnancy
Which part of the sperm contains enzymes that help it penetrate the egg’s outer layer?
Acrosome
The acrosome is a cap-like structure on the head of the sperm.
It contains enzymes that break down the egg’s outer barrier (zona pellucida) so the sperm can wiggle in like ✨“hey queen, lemme in.”✨
Midpiece = packed with mitochondria for energy
Tail = movement
Head nucleus = contains the genetic material
Fertilization happens where
in the ampulla of the fallopian tube
Which male reproductive structure contributes a milky, enzyme-rich fluid to semen that helps activate sperm motility?
Prostate gland
produces a milky, slightly acidic fluid full of enzymes that help activate sperm movement 💃🕺
Which layer of the uterus is muscular and responsible for contractions during labor and menstruation?
Myometrium
Bulbourethral gland (Cowper’s)
neutralizes acidic urine in the urethra before ejaculation
What is the primary function of the corpus luteum after ovulation?
to secrete progesterone
What is the name of the structure that a fertilized egg implants into during early pregnancy?
Endometrium
Which hormone, when present in high levels, provides positive feedback to the hypothalamus and anterior pituitary to trigger the LH surge?
Esterogen
Which of the following structures produces testosterone in males
Leydig cells
Sertoli cell vs Leydig Cell
Leydig= launches testerone
Sertoli = Supports sperm
What hormone is tested for in pregnancy tests?
hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) 💡
It starts producing hCG, which tells the corpus luteum to keep making progesterone (to maintain the lining)
Pregnancy tests detect hCG in your pee or blood — that’s how they know you’re pregnant!
Prolactin vs Oxytocin
Prolactin : creates milk
Oxytocin: release the milk
endometrium is?
is mucosal lining with simple columnar epithelial layer in the uterus with two strata. Stratum functionalis and stratum basalis
An oocyte is “paused in
Primary oocyte is paused in : prophase I of meiosis I
Secondary oocyte is paused in: Metaphase II of meiosis II and resumes meiosis after fertilization.
The role of the cervix
The role of the cervix is to act as gatekeeper, a bottleneck to prevent exit or entry
CORRECT or INCORRECT? If an egg is unfertilized, the corpus luteum does not secrete hormones.
incorrect:
After ovulation, the corpus luteum forms from the ruptured follicle
It secretes progesterone (and some estrogen) during the luteal phase, whether or not the egg is fertilized
Its job is to maintain the uterine lining, just in case a fertilized egg implants
But if no fertilization occurs?
The corpus luteum starts to break down after ~10–14 days
It becomes the corpus albicans (scar tissue)
Hormone levels drop → uterine lining sheds → menstruation begins
What happens to oocytes before birth, during childhood, from puberty onward?
Before birth: holds onto it with primary oocyte
Childhood: meiosis I (paused in prophase I)
From puberty onward, one-ish primary oocyte continues down meiotic pathway (pauses in metaphase II, awaiting fertilization)
List five characteristics of the blood that are regulated by kidneys.
pH, BV/BP, hematocrit, ion concentration, viscosity
where does reclaimation occur
Proximal Convoluted tubule of the renal tubule
List the components of the filtration membrane. What can and can’t pass through the filtration membrane?
Simple squamous glomerular wall + modified simple squamous visceral layer of Bowman’s capsule (podocyte foot processes with slit diaphragms between) + fused basement membranes
very small molecules (smaller than 3 nanometers) including water, nitrogenous wastes, ions, amino acids, glucose CAN pass
cells, large molecules including plasma proteins, molecules bound to plasma proteins CANNOT pass
List and compare the classes of nephrons.
Look at graph
List and describe the nephron capillary beds.
Glomeruli
filtrate is derived from contents of blood within glomerulus each nephron (regardless of type) is associated with a glomerulus fed by afferent arteriole; drained by efferent arteriole
Vasa recta beds
each parallels nephron loop of a juxtamedullary nephron allows materials reabsorbed by tubule to enter bloodstream and get whisked away significant in maintaining osmotic gradient (because of length) fed by efferent arteriole
Peritubular beds
each winds about tubule of a cortical nephron allows materials reabsorbed by tubule to enter bloodstream and get whisked away fed by efferent arteriole
List three factors influencing glomerular filtration rate. Which is most influential and why?
- Glomerular Hydrostatic Pressure (GHP) 💥
This is the blood pressure in the glomerular capillaries
It pushes fluid out of the blood and into the nephron
🧠 Think of it as the driving force of filtration!
- Blood Colloid Osmotic Pressure (BCOP) 💧
Caused by proteins in the blood (like albumin)
It pulls water back into the capillaries and opposes filtration
Basically the “keep it in the bloodstream” energy
- Capsular Hydrostatic Pressure (CHP) 🧼
Pressure in the Bowman’s capsule that also opposes filtration
It comes from the fluid already inside the capsule pushing bac
⭐ Most Influential: Glomerular Hydrostatic Pressure (GHP)
Why?
Because it’s the main force that drives filtration in the first place!
If GHP drops, GFR drops
If GHP increases, GFR increases
🧠 It’s like water pressure in a hose — it controls how much gets pushed through the filter.
Male Version of Pee process
ABP. tell me
ABP is made from sustenocytes in the seminiferous tubules of the testes.
–> binds to testosterone and holds it close to developing sperm cells.
–> important for spermatogeneesis
FSH LH Susteonocytes Leydig Cells relationship. tell me
FSH from the AP –> stimulates sustenocytes
Sustenocytes release ABP
ABP binds to testosterone made by leydig cells (which is made by LH)
Now you have lots of testosterone trapped inside the seminferous tubules
–> this is what powers spermatogenesis
