Glomerular filtration Flashcards
What does the glomerulus do?
How?
Filter plasma:
- ALLOWS the passage of H2O and small molecules
- RESTRICTS the passage of blood cells and the majority of proteins
What happens to the molecular weight proteins during filtration?
Filtered but are REABSORBED by the proximal tubule
What is the structure of the glomuerulus?
Capillary bed:
- Afferent arteriole - where blood enters the capillary bed
- Capillaries - where filtration occurs
- Efferent arteriole - where blood leaves the capillary bed
What % of the plasma moves into the tubule?
Where does it go?
20%
Bowman's capsule Proximal tubule Loop of henle Distal tubule Collecting duct
What happens to the plasma in the proximal tubule?
Modified
Turned into urine
Where is the filtration barrier present?
What happens here?
In the glomerular capillaries
Filtrate has to pass through 3 layers before getting into the Bowman’s capsule - if doesn’t pass through, it is not filtered
What is the structure of the filtration barrier?
3 layers:
1) Endothelial cells - wall of the capillary
2) Basement membrane
3) Epithelial cells (podocytes)
What are podocytes?
Cells in the Bowman’s capsule that wrap around capillaries of the glomerulus
What is the main site of determination if something is filtered or not?
The basement membrane in the filtration barrier of the glomerular capillaries - thin layer
What is the structure of the endothelial cell layer in the filtration barrier?
Flat cells with large nuclei
Cells in contact with each other
With circular fenestrations
What are fenestrations in endothelial cells?
What moves/doesn’t move through here?
Gaps between the cells
Filtrate moves through (ions, solutes)
Blood cells, platelets and large proteins don’t move through
What is the structure of the basement membrane?
- Continuous layer that surrounds the glomerular capillaries
- Comprised of many different glycoproteins
What are the glycoproteins that make up the base membrane?
Collagen
Laminin
Fibronectin
What charge does the basement membrane carry?
What is this important in?
-ve charge
Important in the determination of filtration
What 3 features determine if something crosses the filtration barrier or not?
1) Molecular shape
2) Molecular size (mass/weight)
3) Charge
What moves through the filtration barrier easily?
Small molecular weights
What happens when molecules have larger sizes?
Molecular shape becomes important to determine is something does/doesn’t cross the barrier:
- Bulky shapes = not transported
- Less bulky = transported
Do the podocytes determine if something is going to be filtered or not?
NO - everything that is going to be filtered is already determined
What are the 2 roles of the podocytes in the filtration barrier?
1) Provide STRUCTURAL SUPPORT of the glomerular capillaries and the filtration barrier
2) Play a role in PHAGOCYTOSIS of foreign bodies
What is the structure of the podocytes?
1) Trabeculae - projections out from the cell body
2) Pedicels - Small finger like projections from the larger . trabeculae
What do the pedicels form?
How?
Form SLIT PORES (gaps)
Interdigitate with each other (cross over but have gaps between them)
What charge is filtered more readily?
Why?
+ve charge
Basement membrane carries a negative charger - attracts +ve and repels -ve
What is the filtrate to plasma ratio?
How much of a substance is in the filtrate (In the Bowmann’s capsule) / how much is in the plasma
What is the filtrate/plasma ratio of something that is FREELY filtered?
Why?
1
Concentration in the filtrate is the same as the concentration in the plasma
What does a filtrate/plasma ratio of 0 mean?
Nothing in the filtrate
What does a filtrate/plasma ratio of 0.5 mean?
There is restrictions on what is filtered (only 50%)
As mass increases, what happens to the chance of filtration?
It decreases
Above what molecular weight are molecules not filtered?
About 70,000 daltons
When ARE -vely charged ions filtered?
When they are in the very SMALL molecular weight range
What is Dextran?
Chain of glucose molecules with a negative charge
What can Dextran be used for?
How?
Used to show what types of molecules can/can’t cross the membrane
Can add/remove glucose molecules to increase/decrease the molecular weight
Can modify Dextran/remove charge