Genitourinary Systems Flashcards
What are the functions of the kidney?
Excretion of metabolic products Excretion of foreign substances Homeostasis of body fluids, acid-base balance and electrolytes Control of blood pressure Secretes hormones
What metabolic products does the kidney excrete?
Urea, uric acid, creatinine
What foreign substances does the kidneys excrete?
Drugs
What hormones does the kidney secrete?
Erythropoietin, Renin
Why does the medulla have a striated appearance?
Due to the loops of Henle extending into the medulla
Why does the cortex of the kidney have a granular appearance?
Due to other components of the nephron other than the loops of Henle
Label this
Describe the blood vessels which blood passes into the kidney and out the kidney by?
What are the 3 functions of peritubular capillaries?
- Provide oxygen and nutrients to nephron
- Reabsorption of substances along nephron into circulatory system
- Secretion of substances into tubular fluid
After the bowmans capsule, describe the passage of the urine?
Filtrate into the Proximal Convoluted tubule Loop of Henle - Thin Descending loop of Henle - Thin Ascending loop of Henle - Thick Ascending loop of Henle
The Distal Convoluted Tubule
Collecting Duct
What is the purpose of the detrusor muscle?
To contract and build pressure in the urinary bladder to support urination
Where is the trigone found?
At the base of the bladder, near the ureteric opening
What does the trigone do?
Stretching of the triangular region of the trigone signals the brain about the need for urination
What does the bulbourethral gland do?
Produces thick lubricant which is added to watery semen to promote sperm survival
What type of muscle is the internal sphincter?
Smooth muscle
What type of control is the internal sphincter under?
Involuntary control
What type of control is the external sphincter under?
voluntary control
What type of muscle is the external sphincter?
Striated muscle
Where is the external sphincter muscle found?
Surrounding the urethra
What are the two types of cells found in the collecting duct?
Principal cells and intercalated cells
Which areas of the nephron are rich in mitochondria and what does this mean?
PCT
Thick ascending LOH
DCT
Intercalated cells of collecting duct
Due to active transport of substances
Which areas of the nephron have a low density of mitochondria and what does this mean?
Thin ascending and descending LOH
Principal cells of collecting duct
Due to passive reabsorption of substances
What are the two types of nephron?
Superficial and juxtamedullary nephrons
What is the difference between the superficial and juxtamedullary nephrons?
Superficial - loop of Henle only extends into the outer medulla, not inner
Juxtamedullary - loop of Henle extends further into the inner medulla, and the glomeruli lie closer to the border between the medulla and the cortex
What is the ratio of superficial to juxtaglomerular?
10:1
What are the constituents of the juxtaglomerular apparatus?
Macula densa
Extraglomerular mesangial cells
Juxtaglomerular cells
Where is the macula densa found?
In the distal convoluted tubule
Where are the juxtaglomerular cells found?
In the afferent arteriole
Which cells are involved in renin secretion?
Juxtaglomerular cells
What is the function of the macula densa?
GFR regulation through tubulo-glomerular feedback mechanism
What are the four renal processes which can occur?
Glomerular filtration, reabsorption, secretion, excretion
What is meant by glomerular filtration being a passive process?
Fluid is ‘driven’ through the semipermeable glomerular capillaries into the Bowman’s capsule space by the hydrostatic pressure of the heart.