Microscopic Structure (1.4)

Question 1

Define microscopic.

Answer 1

Can only be seen under a microscope.

Question 2

Although the kidneys seem to be solid, they are actually made up of over a million tiny, tightly packed tubular units called ____. These are found in the ___ and ___ areas.

Answer 2

Nephrons
Cortex
Medulla

Question 3

Why are nephrons called the structural units of the kidney?

Answer 3

They make up the bulk of the kidney.

Question 4

Why are nephrons called the structural units of the kidney?

Answer 4

They are responsible for removing waste matter from the blood.

Question 5

What is the renal corpuscle and is it made up of? (2)

Answer 5

A renal corpuscle is the blood-filtering component of the nephron of the kidney, found in the renal cortex. Made up of Bowman’s capsule and the glomerulus.

Question 6

What is the renal tubule and what is it made up of?

Answer 6

The part of a nephron that leads away from a glomerulus found in the medulla and cortex.

Question 7

What is the renal tubule made up of? (3)

Answer 7

• Proximal (nearest) convulsed (coiled) tubule in the cortex
• Loop of Henle in the medulla
• Distal convoluted tubule

Question 8

The nephrons eventually leads to a ____duct. Twelve nephrons share the same “ “. The collecting ducts form the _____.

Answer 8

Collecting

Pyramids

Question 9

How do the kidney’s maintain homeostasis?

Answer 9

By removing unwanted substances from the blood, so they have to be exceptionally well supplied with blood vessels.

Question 10

How is the renal artery involved in blood regulation?

Answer 10

The renal artery, a branch of the aorta enters the kidney at the hilum and spreads, fan-like through the medulla to the cortex. It carries blood rich in nitrogenous waste to the nephrons.

Question 11

How is the renal vein involved in blood regulation?

Answer 11

The renal vein carries purified (less nitrogenous waste), deoxygenated blood from the kidney to the inferior vena cava.

Question 12

The kidney extracts waste products from the blood and expels these as ___ in a process called ____. This is brought about by means of three major processes as fluid passes along each ____.

Answer 12

Urine
Excretion
Nephron

Question 13

What are the three major processes as fluid passes along each nephron?

Answer 13

A. Glomerular filtration
The fluid part of the blood is filtration from the glomerulus into the cavity of Bowman’s capsule.
B. Tubular reabsorption
As this fluid flows along the renal tubule, useful substances are reabsorbed back into the bloodstream in the amounts required by the body.
C. Tubular excretion
In addition certain unwanted substances in the blood are actively excreted into the tubules