Nephrology - physiology part

Question 1

Functions of kidney

Answer 1

Waste handling - filtrate and excrete waste, i.e. urea + creatinine

Water handling - fluid balance, maintain BP

Salt balance – Na, K,

Acid base control - excrete H2 into urine and reabsorb bicarb from urine

Endocrine - produce EPO, convert vit D to active form

Question 2

Component 3 layers of the GFB

What other structural cell is present?

Answer 2

Epithelial podocytes (foot processes)
-wrap around the capillaries of the glomerulus with their foot processes so prevent proteins/other large molecules from being filtered out of blood into bowman's space m

GBM

• 2 main proteins - collagen + laminin
• synthesised by podocytes + endothelial cells

Endothelial cells
-fenestrated = leaky

Mesangial cells
-structural support of the glomerulus, lying between the loops of the glomerulus, holding them together