Glomerular Capillaries/Filtration Flashcards
How is the glomerular capillary membrane different from others in the body?
3 layers instead of 2 enabling higher filtering abilities than an average capillary membrane (several hundred times greater)
What are the three layers of the glomerular capillary membrane?
1 endothelium
2 basement membrane
3 epithelial cell layer (podocytes)
Why do some things filter through the glomerular capillary membrane and others do not?
Dependent on pore size
What is the name for the BIG pores found in the glomerular capillary membrane?
Fenestrae
What is the name for the SMALL pores found in the glomerular capillary membrane?
Slit pores
What forms slit pores in the glomerular capillary membrane?
Pedicels of podocytes
Which layer of the glomerular capillary membrane possesses thousands of fenestrae?
Endothelium
What is the purpose of the negatively charged endothelium of the glomerular capillary membrane?
Prevents passage of plasma proteins
What layer of the glomerular capillary membrane is a meshwork of proteoglycan fibrillae and collagen?
Basement membrane
What is the purpose of the basement membrane of the glomerular capillary membrane?
Allows for the flow of water and small solutes to pass
What is the purpose of the negative charge associated with the proteoglycans of the basement membrane in the glomerular capillary membrane?
Inhibits passage of proteins
Which cells line the outer surface of the glomerulus?
Podocytes
Which layer of the glomerular capillary membrane possesses podocytes and slit pores?
Epithelium
What is the purpose of the epithelium of the glomerular capillary membrane being negatively charged?
Protects against plasma protein leakage
What occurs when the negative charge of the glomerular capillary membrane is lost?
Albumin is filtered and will appear in the urine with a frothy appearance (proteinuria/albuminuria)
How does filtration in the glomerulus work?
Pressure differentials between the fluid in the glomerulus and the fluid in the Bowman’s capsule
What is the term for the volume of blood plasma delivered to the kidneys per unit of time (mL/min)?
Renal Plasma Flow (RPF)
What is the term for the proportion of the fluid reaching the kidneys which passes into the renal tubules?
Filtration Fraction (FF)
What is a typical Filtration Fraction?
About 20%
What is the equation for glomerular filtration rate (GFR)?
Renal Plasma Flow X Filtration Fraction (RPF X FF)
What is a typical RPF?
550 mL/min (resting state)
What happens to RPF in an active state?
Increases (660-700 mL/min)
With typical RPF and FF rates, what would a typical GFR be?
110 mL/min (550 mL/min as RPF X .2 as FF)
How many liters of plasma fluid is filtered daily by our kidneys?
About 160 liters (we have 5 liters of total blood, therefore it is filtered multiples times per day)
How can the body increase GFR?
Altering RPF or FF
How can the body alter RPF?
Increasing overall cardiac output
Dilation of afferent arterioles in kidney
How can the body alter FF?
Contraction of efferent arterioles, increasing glomerular pressure
What forces determine GFR?
Balance of hydrostatic and colloid osmotic forces across capillary membrane
In what kinds of people do we see a high glomerular hydrostatic pressure and a large filtration coefficient in the kidneys?
Normal functioning non-pathologic adults
What does a large filtration coefficient represent?
Large filtering surface area
High permeability of the glomerular capillary
What is a typical filtration coefficient?
12.5 mL/min/mmHg (sum of hydrostatic and colloid osmotic forces)
What is another way to calculate GFR using the filtration coefficient?
Filtration coefficient X net filtration pressure
What measurements are used to find the net filtration pressure?
Hydrostatic and colloid osmotic pressures of BOTH the glomerular capillaries and inside the Bowman’s capsule (4 pressures)
What is the formula for net filtration pressure?
Glomerular hydrostatic P - Bowman’s capsular P - Glomerular colloid osmotic P + Bowman’s colloid osmotic P