Renal Physiology Flashcards
The function of the kidneys
Regulate body fluid osmolity and volume
Regulate electrolyte balance
Regulate acid-base balance
Excrete, metabolic products and foreign substances
Produce and excrete hormones
Types of regulation
Osmotic regulation - constant osmotic pressure
Ionic regulation – constant concentration of an inorganic ion
Volume regulation – regulate total amount of water in a body fluid
Major organs and their functions
Kidneys = excretes waste product from blood
Urinary bladder = stores, urine prior to voluntary elimination
Urethra = regulates blood ion concentration, and PH
Ureters = controls water balance by regulating volume of urine produced
Functions of urinary system
Removal of organic waste products from blood - e.g urea
Retention of substances – E.G protein and glucose
Osmoregulation = regulation of salt and water balance
Elimination = discharge of waste products into environment
The urea cycle
Involves the conversion reactions of ammonia into urea
Occur in the liver
Urea is then transported to the kidneys where it is excreted
Urine formation
Glomerulus forms, filtrate, and tubules process the filtrate to form urine
Ultrafiltration
Blood pressure produced by the heart is typically the pressure that dries ultrafiltration
What is the main function of the kidney?
The regulation of the composition and volume of the blood plasma and other bodily fluids
Loop of henle
Walls of the descending limb are permeable to water
Active transport of NaCl, out of the fluid in the ascending limb, which concentrates interstitial fluid
What is a glomerulus?
A cluster of blood capillaries
What is a nephron made up of
A glomerulus and it’s tubule
