Kidneys Wk11

Question 1

Identify the location of the kidney, its position in
the abdomen and relationship to adjacent
structures

Answer 1

Retroperitoneal structure, posterior to abdominal wall embedded with perinephric fat
- dorsal surface in contact with diaphragm, psoas and quadratus lumborum

Question 2

What is the role of urinary system?

Answer 2

Role in
homeostasis and reproduction (male)

Question 3

What is the ventral location of right kidney?

Answer 3

Ventral surface of right kidney in contact with liver, right colic/hepatic flexure, duodenum

Question 4

What is the ventral surface of the left kidney?

Answer 4

Tail of pancreas and left colic/splenic flexure

Question 5

What structure is the kidney?

Answer 5

Posterior and retroperitoneal

Question 6

What vertebral levels are the kidneys located in?

Answer 6

Extends b/w T12 – L3

Question 7

What fat is the kidney situated in?

Answer 7

Perinephric fat

Question 8

Where are the adrenals located in relation to kidney?

Answer 8

• Adrenals on top of the superior poles

Question 9

Why is the right kidney inferior to left kidney?

Answer 9

• Right kidney inferior to left kidney (due to liver)

Question 10

What are landmarks of the kidney?

Answer 10

Superior, inferior pole
Anterior, posterior surface
Medial, lateral margin
Renal hilum
Renal sinus

Question 11

What is the kidney encased in?

Answer 11

Encased in very firm fibrous capsule

Question 12

Renal cortex contains

Answer 12

filtering apparatus
(renal corpuscles and convoluted tubules)

Question 13

Pyramids or renal medulla

Answer 13

contains blood
vessels, loops of Henle, collecting ducts

Question 14

Renal papilla empties the

Answer 14

urine into our minor calyx, which connects to major calyx to the renal pelvis and then to the ureter

Question 15

Name the blood supply and venous drainage of
the kidney

Answer 15

Paired renal arteries - below superior mesenteric art (L1-2)
Venous drainage via renal veins (anterior to renal
arteries), drain into IVC

Question 16

Left renal vein is longer than

Answer 16

right vein as it drains into the IVC

Question 17

Vasculature of kidney

Answer 17

• Renal arteries branch to segmental art
• Avascular zone = no blood supply here: Brodalʼ s line
• Terminal branch of arterial supply – few anastomoses

Question 18

What are the structures of the kidney?

Answer 18

-Renal corpuscle (glomerulus & Bowman’s
capsule) – filter
- Proximal convoluted tubule, loop of
Henle’s, distal convoluted tube & collecting tube

Question 19

What is the basic functional unit of the kidney?

Answer 19

Nephron is the basic functional unit of the
kidney (microscopic)

Question 20

Explain how structures of the kidney are involved
in the production of urine

Answer 20

The renal corpulse filters - secretes and resabsorbs substances into filtrate in the tube system - urine is emptied in collecting duct, minor/major calyces and renal pelvis