Physiology Flashcards
what is osmolarity?
the concentration of osmotically active particles present in a solution
what 2 factors are needed to calculate osmolarity?
- the molar concentration of the solution
2. the number of osmotically active particles present
what is tonicity?
the effect a solution has on cell volume
what will an isotonic solution do to cell volume?
no change
what will a hypertonic solution do to cell volume?
decrease in cell volume
what will a hypotonic solution do to cell volume?
increase in cell volume
what does tonicity take into consideration that osmolarity doesnt?
the ability of the solute to cross the cell membrane
compare percentage of total body water to body weight in males and females?
males- 60% of body weight
females 50% of body weigh
what are the 2 major compartments that make up total body water? (and the percentage of each)
intracellular fluid 67%
extracellular fluid 33%
what are the main 2 compartments that make up the extracellular fluid? (and the percentage of each)
plasma 20%
interstitial fluid 80%
what separates the extracellular fluid and the intracellular fluid?
plasma membrane
how do we measure body fluid compartments clinically?
tracers
what tracer allows us to determine the total body water?
3 H20
what tracer allows us to determine the volume of extracellular fluid?
inulin
what tracer allows us to determine the volume of plasma?
labelled albumin
is sodium higher intracellularly or extracellularly?
extracellularly
is potassium higher intracellularly or extracellularly?
intracellularly
is chloride higher intracellularly or extracellularly?
extracellularly
what separates the plasma from the interstitial fluid?
capillary wall
what are the main ions in the ECF?
Na+
Cl-
HCO3-
what are the main ions in the ICF?
K+
Mg2+
negatively charged proteins
what is the osmotic concentration of the ECF?
roughly 300 mosmol/l
what is the osmotic concentration of the ICF?
roughly 300 mosmol/l
urea is the biproduct of the breakdown of what substance?
protein
bilirubin is the biproduct of the breakdown of what substance?
haemoglobin
what hormone is released by the kidney in response to hypoxia?
erythropoetin
uric acid if the biproduce of the breakdown of what substances?
purines
eg adenosine, guanine
what is the active form of vitamin D?
calcitriol
what is the function of calcitriol?
promotes Ca++ absorption in the GI tract
how many OH hydroxyl groups are added to vit D in order to convert it to calcitriol?
2 hydroxyl groups
where is the first hydroxyl group added to vitamin D? (a step in the conversion to calcitriol)
liver
where is the second hydroxyl group added to vitamin D? ( a step in the conversion to calcitriol)
kidneys
what percentage of cardiac output goes to the kidneys?
25%
what are the 2 types of nephron? (and give percentages of each)
cortical 80%
juxtamedullary 20%
compare the loop of Henle’s in the cortical and juxtamedullary nephrons?
juxtamedullary nephron loop of Henle is much longer and extends right down into the medulla, cortical nephron is shorter and only extends slightly into the medulla
compare the capillaries which surround the renal tubules of the cortical and juxtamedullary nephrons?
juxtamedullary nephron- efferent arteriole becomes a single capillary called the vasa recta
cortical nephron- efferent arteriole becomes a network of capillaries called the peritubular network
compare the diameter of the afferent and efferent arterioles?
afferent arteriole has a bigger diameter
how much plasma of the afferent arteriole is filtered into the bowman’s capsule?
20%
what cells is renin secreted from?
granular cells (juxtaglomerular cells) wichin the juxtaglomerular apparatus
how do you calculate the rate of filtration of a substance?
rate of filtration = plasma conc of substance x GFR
what is the normal GFR?
125ml/min
0.125l/min
what happens to the rate of filtration of a substance as the concentration of the substance in plasma increase?
rate of filtration increases
how do you calculate the rate of excretion of a substance?
rate of excretion = urine conc of substance x urine flow rate
how do you calculate the rate of reabsorption of a substance?
rate of filtration - rate of excretion
what is the normal urine flow rate?
1ml per minute
0.001l per minute
(very variable depending on body conditions)
how do you calculate the rate of secretion of a substance?
rate of excretion - rate of filtration
collectively, what is the glomerular capillary endothelium, basement membrane and podocyte layer called?
glomerular membrane
what net charge does the basement membrane of the glomerular membrane have?
negative charge
what is the function of the negatively changed basement membrane of the glomerular membrane?
repels large negatively charged proteins
what are the 4 starling forces that compromise net filtration pressure at the glomerulus?
glomerular capillary blood pressure
bowmans capsule hydrostatic pressure
capillary oncotic pressure
bowmans capsule oncotic pressure
which is the starling force which contributes most to the net filtration pressure at the glomerulus?
glomerular capillary blood pressure
how do you calculate the net filtration pressure of the glomerulus?
(bowmans capsule hydrostatic pressure + capillary oncotic pressure)
why, unlike most capillaries, is the glomerular capillary blood pressure constant from afferent arteriole to efferent arteriole?
because as you lose volume the diameter decreases
–> pressure is maintained
what solutes determine oncotic pressure?
plasma proteins
since there should be no plasma proteins within the lumen of the bowman’s capsule, what should the bowmans capsule oncotic pressure be?
0 mmHg
what is the glomerular filtration rate?
the rate at which protein=free plasma is filtered from the glomeruli into the bowman’s capsule per unit time
how do you calculate the gfr?
Kf x net filtration pressure
where Kf = filtration coefficient
what is the main determinant of GFR?
glomerular capillary blood pressure
what are the 2 main ways of glomerular filtration rate regulation?
intrinsic control
extrinsic control
which nervous system is involved in the extrinsic control of GFR and via what reflex?
sympathetic control via baroreceptor reflex
what are the 2 types of intrinsic autoregulation of GFR?
myogenic mechanism
tubuloglomerular feedback mechanism
what does vasoconstriction of the afferent arteriole do to the GFR?
decreases the GFR
what does vasodilation of the afferent arteriole do to the GFR?
increases the GFR
explain why a fall in blood pressure might cause reduced GFR? (external regulation)
reduced BP detected by baroreceptors
sympathetic activity is increased
generalised arteriolar vasoconstriction (afferent arteriole)
reduced glomerular capillary BP so reduced GFR and urine volume
[helps to compensate for fluid loss]
broadly speaking, why do systemic arterial blood pressure changes not always causes changed in GFR?
intrinsic control of the GFR (autoregulation)
what is myogenic autoregulation of GFR?
if vascular smooth muscle is stretched (due to increased BP) it contracts thus constricting the afferent arteriole
what is tubuloglomerular feedback autoregulation of GFR?
If the NaCl increases (happens when GF is raised) within the juxtaglomerular apparatus raises, the macula densa sense it and cause the afferent arteriole to constrict
why might a kidney stone cause reduced GFR?
increased hydrostatic pressure which opposes filtration
why might severe diarrohea cause reduced GFR?
dehydration leads to increased plasma protein concentration (ie bigger capillary oncotic pressure which opposes filtration)
why might severely burned patients have an increased GFR?
plasma proteins are lost from site so leads to decreased plasma protein concentration (ie smaller capillary oncotic pressure)
why might kidney damage cause decreased GFR?
might decrease filtration coefficient leading to decreased GFR
what is plasma clearance?
the volume of plasma completely cleared of a particular substance per minute
what are the units of plasma clearance?
ml per min
ml/min
how do you calculate clearance of a substance?
rate of excretion/ plasma concentration
what is the inulin clearance rate?
125ml/min
is inulin absorbed by the renal tubules?
no
is inulin secreted by the renal tubules?
no
the clearance of which substance is much more convenient to determine GFR from than inulin?
creatinine clearance
why is creatinine clearance not as accurate as inulin clearance as an indicator of GFR?
because some is secreted in the tubules
what is the rate of glucose clearance?
0ml/min
why might the clearance of a substance be 0?
- filtered, all reabsorbed, no tubular secretion
2. not filtered no tubular secretion
is urea reabsorbed in the renal tubules?
partly
is urea secreted in the renal tubules?
no
what is the range of values for clearance of a substance which is partly reabsorbed but not secreted?
Less than 125ml/min
what is the range of values for clearance of a substance which is secreted but not reabsorbed?
> 125ml/min
because clearance is bigger than GFR
is hydrogen reabsorbed in the renal tubules?
no
is hydrogen secreted in the renal tubules?
yes
if the clearance of a substance is lower than the GFR, what does this indicate?
the substance is reabsorbed in the renal tubulres
if the clearance of a substance is the same as the GFR, what does this indicate?
the substance is neither reabsorbed or secreted
if the clearance of a substance is the higher than the GFR, what does this indicate?
the substance is secreted into the tubules
the clearance of what substance indicates the renal plasma flow?
clearance of para-amino hippuric acid (PAH)
why is clearance of PAH used to measure renal plasma flow?
filtered freely at glomerulue and is completely secreted in the renal tubules, none is reabsorbed
creatinine a biproduct of the breakdown of what?
muscle
what is the clearance of PAH?
650ml/min
what is the renal plasma flow?
650ml/min
how do you calculate the filtration fraction?
GFR/renal plasma flow
what is the filtration fraction?
20%
what is haemocrit?
packed cell volume
–> volume percentage of red blood cells in blood
how doyou calculare renal blood flow?
renal plasma flow / (1-haemocrit)
what is the average renal blood flow?
1200ml/min
compare transcellular and paracellular absorption?
transcellular- absorption across the cell of the tubular wall
paracelular- absorption across spaces in the cells of the tubular wall
what is required for primary active transport to occur?
ATP
what ion is secondary active transport usually coupled to the movement of?
Na+ down its conc gradient
what membrane (apical or basolateral) is the Na/K/ATPase pump exclusively found on?
basolateral membrane