Glomerular Structure and Function Flashcards
What is the Glomerular Filtration barrier made up of?
Glomerular capillary endothelial cell layer
Basement Membrane
Podocytes
Glomerular capillary endothelial cell layer
Fenestrations (large pores)
First layer
100 times more permeable to water than capillaries elsewhere in the body
Basement Membrane
Acellular
Composed of collagen and glycoproteins
Structural strength
What do negatively charged glycoproteins prevent?
Filtration of plasma proteins
Podocytes
Ocotopus like cells that encircle the glomerular capillaries with foot processes
Has slits
What determines solute filtrability through the GF barrier?
Molecular size and charge
________ charged molecules are filtered less easily than ______ charged molecules
- negatively
- positively
Albumin
6 nm (smaller than pores)
Negatively charged so it restricts its filtration through the negatively charged glycoprotein layer of the BM
Nephrotic Syndrome
Presence of high levels of protein/albumin in the urine due to increased permeability of glomerular capillaries to proteins
Podocytes broken down
Edema happens because OP decreased due to loss of albumin in urine
Where is loss of albumin high?
Nephrotic syndrome
GLOMERULONEPHRITIS
Inflammatory changes in the glomerulus
Presence of hematuria (RBC in urine)
Proteinuria
What are the forces involved in GF?
Glomerular capillary blood pressure
Plasma-colloid osmotic pressure
Bowman’s capsule hydrostatic pressure
Glomerular capillary blood pressure
Blood exerting pressure within capillaries
Pushes fluid out of the glomerulus into Bowman’s capsule
Plasma-colloid osmotic pressure
Unequal distribution of proteins across glomerular membrane
Plasma proteins present in the capillaries try to pull water out of Bowman’s capsule by osmosis
Bowman’s capsule hydrostatic pressure
Push fluid out of the Bowman’s capsule
Opposes the filtration of fluid from the glomerulus into the Bowman’s capsule
