HIST of the Urinary System - Week 8

Question 1

Range of nephrons in a normal human.

Answer 1

200,000 - 2m.

Question 2

What are podocytes?

Answer 2

Glomerular epithelial cells.

Question 3

How do albumin & other large proteins enter the urine?

Answer 3

Denuded glomerular BM - due to absence of podocyte cytoplasm via cellular death or other mechanism.

Question 4

What part of the glomerular filtration barrier stops protein, stops cells, stops RBCs?

Answer 4

Diaphragm/filtration slits between podocyte foot processes. Basement lamina. Fenestrated endothelium (RBCs too big to fit through pores).

Question 5

How does blood/plasma enter into the urinary space?

Answer 5

For non-cellular components of blood to filter into urinary space it must pass through pore -> glomerular basement lamina -> diaphragm of the foot processes -> urinary space.