Homeostasis in the Kidney Flashcards
What is the job of the kidney?
- To filter the blood and remove toxins and waste products such as urea
- The regulation of water content in your blood.
What is the name of the process for regulation of water?
Osmoregulation
Osmo(osmosis)- regulation
What is the name of the vein and artery that connects to the kidney?
- Renal artery
- Renal vein
What is the structure of the kidney?
- Cortex (Outer layer)
- Medulla (Inner layer (Middle))
- Pelvis (Where the urine drains)
- Ureter (Where the urine leaves and drains to the bladder)
What is the name for the small tubes that extract waste in the kidney?
Nephrons
What is the structure of a nephron?
- The Capillary knot (ULTRAFILTRATION!!! Only allows small molecules such as water, glucose, amino acids and urea to pass to the Bowman’s Capsule)
- Bowman’s capsule
- Tubules
- Network of capillaries (where substances in the tubules will be selectively reabsorbed).
- Collecting Duct (goes to the ureter)
What are the 3 main functions of the nephron?
Filtration- (Only small molecules pass to the bowman’s casual)
Selective Reabsorption- (Some molecules are reabsorbed depending on concentration)
Regulation of water (Osmoregulation)- (The selectively permeable membrane of the collecting duct is controlled by ADH).
What is filtration in the nephron?
This is where the “leaky” walls of the Bowman’s Capsule and Capillary knot only allow for small substances such as amino acids, glucose, water and urea to pass. This leaves large substances such as blood cells behind.
What is selective reabsorption in the nephron?
When the concentration of a substance is low, that substance will pass through the tubular and back into the blood instead of moving into the collecting duct.
This usually happens with glucose.
What is ADH and it’s purpose?
ADH (Anti-diuretic hormone) makes the collecting duct less permeable to water.
- When water concentration levels are high, less ADH is released which increases water the volume of water in urine (pale white colour)
- When water concentration levels are low, more ADH is produced and there is a lower volume of water in the urine. The water is instead absorbed back into the blood.
Another name is Anti- weeing hormone
How do you test for a faulty kidney?
We can measure the glucose levels in the urine. Glucose is rarely given off so if glucose levels are high, the kidney may be faulty.
The test for glucose is benedict’s solution + heat.
Where is ADH released from?
Anti-diuretic hormone is released from the pituitary gland in the brain.
What are the two main treatments for kidney failure?
Kidney Dialysis
Kidney Transplant
What is the process of kidney dialysis?
1) Blood is removed from the patient through the used of a pump.
2) An anti-coagulant is added to thin the blood and reduced the chances of blood clotting in the machine.
3) Dialysate fluid (with a lower concentration of water and salt) is pumped in an opposite direction to the blood, separated by a selectively permeable membrane that only allows for water and salt to pass.
4) Salt and water in the blood is diffused into the dialysate down a concentration gradient.
5) The blood, now with a lower concentration of salt and water, then passes through an air trap and air detector which stops all air bubbles entering the body which is very dangerous.
Why does the dialysate how a lower concentration of salt and water compared to the blood?
To ensure all excess salt and water in the blood is removed by diffusing into the dialysate.
