Kidneys Flashcards
What are the functions of kindeys?
To regulate water content in the blood and remove toxic waste from the metabolism
What blood vessels are the kidneys placed on?
On the right, the renal artery, on the left the renal vein
What carries urine from the kidneys to the bladder?
The ureter
What is urea?
The nitrogenous waste product from breaking down protein which is excreted in urine
What does the renal artery branch off?
The aorta
What is urine expelled through?
The urethra
Where does purified blood return to the cycle?
Through the renal vein
What is the kidney packed with?
Nephrons
Where are the nephrons?
They start in the cortex of the kidney and loop down into the medulla and back to the cortex
What does the nephron do?
It regulates the level of water and salts and removes urea from the blood
Appreciate this :)
What is the bowman’s capsule?
A part of the nephron - a cup like structure which surrounds the capillary knot
How is high pressure in the capillary knot created?
By the diameter of the capillary leaving the knot being narrower than the capillary entering
What does pressure in the capillary knot result in?
Ultrafiltration, where salts, water, glucose and other small molecules pass out of the capillary knot into the bowman’s capsule
Which things are too big for ultrafiltration?
Proteins and blood cells
What is the rest of the tubule responsible for?
The selective reapsorbtion of glucose, some salts, and lots of water.
What is the collecting duct responsible for?
The selective reabsorption of water and sending urine to the ureter
What does ADH stand for and what is it?
Anti diuretic hormone and it’s anti weeing hormone
What is water in the blood controlled by?
ADH
What is the release of ADH from a gland in the brain controlled by?
Blood plasma concentration
What can the concentration of blood be altered by?
- Excess drinking
- Excess sweating
- Consumption of salty foods
Which gland releases ADH?
The pituitary gland
What is the release of ADH?
A negative feedback mechanism
How is diabetes diagnosed?
If there is glucose in the urine
What does protein in the urine suggest?
Damage in the kidney
What do people with kidney damage need to do to clear their blood?
Dialysis
What are the positives of dialysis
- It can keep a patient alive whilst they are waiting for a suitable donor to be found
- It does not involve major surgery
What are the disadvantages of dialysis?
- Patients need to follow a carefully controlled diet.
- Patients need to spend many hours every week attached to a dialysis machine.
- Dialysis machines are very expensive.
- Dialysis will only be successful for a certain amount of time.
Where are donor kidneys connected?
Near the bladder
What is the most major problem with a transplant?
Rejection
What drugs do people with transplants need to take?
Immunosuppresant
Which people are most likely to have similar tissue types?
Family
What are the advantages of kidney transplants?
- Once the transplant has occurred the patient no longer has diet restrictions.
- Long periods of time on dialysis are no longer necessary.
- Although not a life-long cure, a kidney transplant will generally allow the patient to live a fuller life for longer than a patient on dialysis.
What are the disadvantages of kidney transplants?
- It is difficult to find a donor organ with a matching tissue type.
- The risk of organ rejection.
- Having to take drugs which suppress the immune system, leaving the patient susceptible to contracting other diseases.
- Regular doctors’ appointments to detect signs of organ rejection.
- Major surgery is required.
What happens during dialysis?
Blood is removed from the patient and flows into the dialyzer where it is kept separated from dialysis fluid by a partially permeable membrane.
What does the dialysis fluid contain?
The same concentration of glucose and salts as normal blood plasma so there is no net movement of glucose out of the blood by diffusion
What happens to excess salt in the bloodstream?
It diffuses into the dialysis fluid
What happens to urea in the bloodstream during dialysis?
Because dialysis fluid contains no urea, almost all the urea diffuses into the dialysis fluid
How are concentration gradients maintained during dialysis?
Using a counter current system - bloodstream and dialysis flowing in opposite directions
What happens after dialysis?
The clean blood is returned to the patient and the waste dialysis fluid is disposed of
