Organisms Response to Change - Kidneys Flashcards
what are the roles of the kidneys?
osmoregulation
excretion
how do the kidneys carry out osmoregulation?
by controlling the volume and concentration of urine produced
how do the kidneys carry out excretion?
by removing waste products from the metabolism
what is a nephron?
the functional unit of a kidney
what is the fibrous capsule?
the outer membrane that protects the kidney
what is the cortex?
the lighter coloured outer region consisting of renal capsules, convulated tubules and blood vessels
what is the medulla?
darker coloured inner region of the kidney consisting of the loops of henle, collecting ducts and blood vessels
what is the renal pelvis?
a funnel-shaped cavity that collects urine into the ureter
what is the ureter?
a tube that carries urine to the bladder
what is the renal artery?
the artery that supplies the kidney with blood
what is the renal vein?
the vein that returns blood to the heart from the kidney
what are the main components of a nephron?
renal capsule
proximal convulated tubule
loop of henle
distal convulated tubule
collecting duct
what is the renal capsule?
closed end at the start of the nephron
what is the structure of the renal capsule?
cup-shaped and surrounds the glomerulus
inner layer consists of podocytes - specialised cells
what is the proximal convulated tubule?
series of loops surrounded by blood capillaries
what is the structure of proximal convulated tubule?
walls consist of epithelial cells containing microvilli
what is the loop of henle?
long, hairpin loop extending from the cortex into the medulla and back again
surrounded by blood capillaries
what is the distal convulated tubule?
series of loops surrounded by blood capillaries, but less than proximal convulated tubule
what is the collecting duct?
tube that distal convulated tubules empty into
becomes increasingly wide as it empties into pelvis of kidney
what is the structure of the collecting duct?
lined with epithelial cells
becomes wider as it empties into pelvis of the kidney
what are the different blood vessels present in a nephron?
afferent and efferent arterioles
glomerulus
blood capillaries
what is the afferent arteriole?
vessel from the renal artery that supplies the nephron and glomerulus with blood
what is the glomerulus?
branched knot of capillaries between the afferent and efferent arterioles
what is the efferent arteriole?
blood vessel attached to the glomerulus, carrying blood away from the renal capsule
describe the blood capillaries present in a nephron
concentrated network surrounding:
distal/proximated convulated tubules
loop of henle
they merge to form the renal vein