GFR Regulation Flashcards
Renal blood flow (RBF)
About 20% of CO (renal fraction)
Proportionally greater than for most organs
Since need to filter the blood etc
Also high demand for oxygen with all the Na/K ATPases
Normal: 1200mL/min
Oxygen shunting by the vasa recta
Shunt from the descending vasa recta —> ascending
Thus, the O2 supply to the deep medullary is limited (relies more on anaerobic metabolism)
Dual microvascular beds of the kidney
Glomerular and post-glomerular vascular beds
Separate the filtering and reabsorptive processes
What creates a ‘nesting’ of glomerular capillaries between the afferent and efferent arterioles
Preglomerular resistance (afferent)
Post-glomerular resistance (efferent)
…allows the maintenance of a high glomerular pressure that can be regulated precisely
What pressure is primarily responsible for the formation of filtrate?
Glomerular pressure
What does a low peritubular capillary pressure allow?
Elevated plasma colloid osmotic pressure to predominate
Thus be responsible for the return of the tubular reabsorbate to the circulation
Afferent arteriole resistance =
(Renal a. Pressure - Glomerular pressure) / RBF
Efferent arteriole resistance (renal)
(Glomerular pressure - Capillary pressure) / (RBF - GFR)
Normally, filtration continues throughout the entire length of the glomerular capillaries
Where there remains a finite + ?
Effective filtration pressure (EFP)
At the efferent end of the capillaries
Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR) =
Kf(Pg - Pb - pi-g)
Kf = filtration coefficient
Pg = glomerular hydrostatic pressure
Pb = counteracting pressure in bowman’s space
Pi-g = average colloid osmotic pressure in the glomerular capillaries
Decreases in filtration coefficient can occur in what pathological states?
HTN
Diabetes
Glomerulosclerosis.
—> all lead to decreased GFR
Selective increase in afferent resistance
Reduces —>
Both plasma flow and glomerular hydrostatic pressure
GFR decreases MORE than plasma flow…therefore the FF decreases
Increase in renal efferent resistance
Reduces —>
Plasma flow
BUT INCREASES glomerular pressure
GFR will increase slightly at first…but eventually will decrease due to the counteracting effects of the glomerular colloid osmotic pressure
RPF falls more than GFR —> FF increases
Can changes in FF alone determine localization of resistance changes?
NO
Effective filtration pressure (EFP) =
= net force driving filtration at the glomerulus
Glomerular p. (Minus) Bowman’s p. (Minus) colloid osmotic pressure