Lecture 2: Intro to the Kidney and Renal System

Question 1

functions of the kidneys

Answer 1

• excretion of endogenous waste products
• excretion of drugs and their metabolites
• water and electrolyte balance
• acid base balance
• production of hormones, eg renin and erythropoietin

Question 2

sympathetic nervous supply of the kidney

Answer 2

• sympathetic postganglionic fibres from sympathetic chain and fibres from coeliac ganglion
• reduces blood supply to kidney during stress
• damage to these may be associated with hypertension

Question 3

parasympathetic nervous supply to the kidneys

Answer 3

• in animals, efferent supply from vagus nerve and ganglion in hilum
• controversial however, many scientists don’t believe the kidney has a parasympathetic supply

Question 4

what are key molecules that aren’t filtered in glomerular filtration

Answer 4

• lipids
• red blood cells
• proteins
• most drugs, metabolites