Kidneys and Associated Structures Flashcards
The two kidneys function to
excrete most of the waste products of metabolism.
The kidneys play a major role
in controlling the water and electrolyte balance within the body.
The kidneys also aid in maintaining the
acid-base balance of the blood
Waste products leave the kidneys as
urine, which passes down the ureters to the urinary bladder (located within the pelvis)
Urine leaves the body in the
urethra
Where are the kidneys located?
Lie behind the peritoneum high up on posterior abdominal wall on either side of the vertebral colum
The right kidneys lies _____ than the left kidney. Why?
slightly lower; large size of the right lobe of the liver
True/False: With contraction of the diaphragm during respiration, both kidneys move upward in a vertical direction by as much as 1 inch.
False; downward
Anterior Relationships to the right kidney:
Surprarenal Gland
Liver
2nd part of the Duodenum
Right Colic Flexure
Posterior Relationships to the right kidney:
Diaphragm Costodiaphragmatic recess of pleura 12th rib psoas Quadratus lumborum Transversus Abdominus Muscles Subcostal (T12) Iliohypogastric and ilioinguinal nerves (L1) run downward and laterally
Anterior Relationships for the Left Kidney:
Surprarenal Gland Spleen Stomach Pancreas Left Colic Flexure Coils of Jejunum
Posterior Relationships for the Left Kidney:
Diaphragm Costodiaphragmatic recess of pleura 11th AND 12th ribs (remember left kidney is higher) psoas Quadratus lumborum Transversus Abdominus Muscles Subcostal (T12) Iliohypogastric and ilioinguinal nerves (L1) run downward and laterally
This is a vertical slit on the medial concave border of each kidney that is bounded by thick lips of renal substance.
Hilum
Hilum extends into a large cavity called the
renal sinus
The hilum transmits:
- renal vein
- two branches of the renal artery
- ureter
- third branch of renal artery
Lymph vessels and sympathetic fibers also pass through the ___
hilum
Name the coverings of the kidneys
- Fibrous capsule
- Perirenal Fat
- Renal Fascia
- Pararenal Fat
____ surrounds the kidney and is closely applied to its outer surface
Fibrous Capsule
___ covers the fibrous capsule
Perirenal Fat
___ is a condensation of connective tissue that lies outside of perirenal fat and encloses the kidneys and surprarenal glands; it is continuous laterally with the fascia transversalis
Renal Fascia
____ lies external to the renal fascia and is often in large quantity. It also forms part of the retroperitoneal fat.
Pararenal Fat
Each kidney has a dark brown ____ and a light brown ____.
outer cortex; inner medulla
The medulla is composed of about a dozen _____, each having its base oriented toward the cortex and its apex, the ____, projecting toward the hilum.
Renal pyramids, renal papilla
The cortex extends into the medulla between the adjacent pyramids as the ___
renal columns
Striations that extend from the bases of the renal pyramids into the cortex(es)
Medullary Rays
The renal sinus contains the upper expanded end of the ureter called the
Renal Pelvis
The renal pelvis divides into 2-3 ____ which further divides into 2-3 ____.
Major Calyces; Minor Calyces
Each minor calyx is indented by the apex of the renal pyramid, the _____
renal papilla
______ arise from each segmental artery, one for each renal pyramid
Lobar Arteries
Before entering the renal substance, each lobar artery gives off 2-3 _______
interlobar arteries
The interlobar arteries run toward the ____ on each side of the renal pyramid
cortex
The interlobar arteries give off ____ at the junction of the cortex and the medulla
arcuate arteries
These _____, given off by the interlobar arteries, arch over the bases of the pyramids
arcuate arteries
The _____ arise as branches of the interlobar artieries
afferent glomerular arterioles
The arcuate arteries give off several ___ that ascend into the cortex
interlobar arteries
____ arises from the aorta at the level of the 2nd lumbar vertebra
Renal Artery
Each renal artery divides into _____ that enter the hilum of the kidney
5 segmental arteries
____ is composed of renal corpuscles, proximal and distal convoluted tubules, cortical collecting tubules and the blood vessels that supply it.
Renal Cortex
The ___ is made up of Renal Pyramids
Renal Medulla
The renal pyramids can be divided into three zones:
outer medulla, inner medulla, renal papillae
Name the tubules that run parallel to each other and form the renal medulla.
- Descending limb of loop of Henle
- Ascending limb of Loop of Henle
- Cortical Collecting Tubules
- Collecting Ducts
- Papillary Ducts
____ drain urine into the minor calyces then to the ____.
Papillary ducts; major calyces
The major calices merge into the ____, which drains urine into the renal ureter
Renal pelvis
This is a basic functional unit of the kidney comprised of a renal corpuscle, proximal convoluted tubule, loop of Henle, and distal convoluted tubule.
Nephron
_____ is composed of a glomerulus and a Bowman capsule
Renal Corpuscle
_____ consists of a spherical knot of capillaries, which is fed by an afferent arteriole and drained by an efferent arteriole at the vascular pole.
Glomerulus
____ consists of a visceral layer and a parietal layer
Bowman Capsule
The visceral layer of the Bowman’s capsule is composed of ____, which cover the capillaries of a glomerulus.
Podocytes
Podocytes have a long, interdigitating cellular process and also play a role in _____
blood filtration
Interstitial tissues surrounding the glomerular capillaries contain cells called _____
intraglomerular mesangial cells
The parietal layer of the Bowman Capsule is a hollow spherical structure lined by ______
simple squamous epithelium
Bowman’s Space
space between visceral and parietal layers of Bowman’s capsule
The filtrate is collected within the
Bowman Space
The renal corpuscle, as a whole, forms a blood filtering unit, which allows____ ?
water, metabolic wastes, ions and small molecules to pass through the capillary wall but prevents circulating cells and large plasma proteins from leaving the blood
Distal convoluted tubules are lined by
small, simple cuboidal epithelial cells (which have no brush border)
___ are tightly packed group of cells w/in DIstal Convoluted Tubules that senses and monitors ionic content and water volume of the filtrate
Macula Densa
____ are long tubes that follow a serpertine course as they drain the filtrate from the renal corpuscles into the loop of Henle.
Proximal Convoluted Tubules
Explain the difference between a Hilum and a Sinus.
Hilum–Doorway/Passage way where structures pass through
Sinus–cavity where structures may lie
Each proximal convoluted tubules is lined by ______ (brush border) bordering the lumen.
simple cuboidal epithelium with abundant long microvilli
Each proximal convoluted tubule connects to a renal corpuscle at its
urinary pole
The combined structural features of the proximal convoluted tubules contribute to their functions of:
actively transporting ions and reabsorbing water, glucose, amino acids, proteins and vitamins from the filtrates
___ a continuation of the proximal convoluted tubule
Loop of Henle
The Loop of Henle is a U-shaped structure that includes a (n)_____ and a(n) ______
descending limb; ascending limb
The descending limb is permeable to
water, chlorine and sodium ions
The tubules of the descending limb ______
reabsorb water and salts, and also reduce the volume of the filtrate that has passed through the proximal convoluted tubules
The ascending limb is impermeable to ____ and actively pumps ____ and ____ from the tubes back into the medullary interstitium.
water; chlorine and sodium ions
The _____ remove Na+ and add K+ to the filtrate if aldosterone stimulation is present.
distal convoluted tubules
____ also reabsorb bicarbonate ions and secrete ammonium to adjust the pH balance.
Distal Convoluted Tubules
What does the collecting system consist of?
Cortical Collecting Tubules
Collecting Ducts
Papillary Ducts
Both collecting tubules and ducts have
a clear cytoplasm and distinct cell-to-cell boundaries
Under the influence of the Antidiuretic Hormone (ADH), the tubules
become highly permeable to water
Depending on ______, the tubules passively diffuse a variable volume of water from their lumens into the medullary interstitium, thus increasing the concentration of urine.
ADH levels
The two ureters lie in the ________, laterally positioned on each side of the vertebral column.
extraperitoneal connective tissue
The ureters are long, relatively small tubules by _____ and surrounded by a thin layer of smooth muscle and connective tissue.
Transitional Epithelium
What do the ureters drain superiorly?
the (funnel-shaped) renal pelvis
What do the ureters drain inferiorly?
they empty into the bladder by penetrating its posterior wall.
The ureters have a much ____ wall in comparison to the bladder.
thinner
The wall of the ureter is composed of:
mucosa
Muscularis
Adventitia
A distensible sac-shaped organ located in the pelvic cavity, the _____, temporarily stores urine
Urinary Bladder
The urinary bladder has 3 openings. What are they for?
Two of them are for ureters to enter and one for emptying urine into the urethra
The Urinary Bladder wall consists of ____, ____, and _____.
Mucosal, Muscularies, Adventitial Layers
The bladder wall is much thicker, having three substantial layers of
smooth muscle in the muscularis
The muscularis contracts in _____ to enable the urinary bladder to empty urine.
different directions
The bladder empties urine into the ____ for transport outside of the body
urethra
The ______ are yellowish retroperitoneal organs that lie on the upper poles of the kidneys.
two suprarenal glands
The two suprarental glands are surrounded by _______
renal fascia
The suprarenal glands are separated from the kidneys by the _______
perirenal fat
Each suprarenal gland has a yellow ______ and dark brown _____.
cortex; medulla
The medulla of the suprarenal glands secretes the catecholamines (________ and ________).
ephinephrine and norepinephrine
The arteries supplying the suprarenal glands are: (3)
inferior phrenic artery, aorta, renal artery
A _____ emerges from the hilum of each gland and drains the inferior vena cava on the right and the renal vein on the left
single vein
________ ______ ___ derived from the splanchnic nerves supply the glands. Most of the nerves end in the medulla of the gland.
Preganglionic Sympathetic Fibers
The cortex of the suprarenal glands secretes hormones ____ and _____.
Mineral Corticoids and Glucocorticords
The _______ _______ are concerned with the control of fluid and electrolyte balance
Mineral Corticoids
The ______ are concerned with the control of the metabolism of carbs, fats and proteins
Glucocorticoids
The Suprarenal Cortex also secretes a small amount of _____, which probably play a role in the prepubertal development of the sex organs.
sex hormones
