Renal Physiology Flashcards
What is the main function of the kidneys?
Remove urea (waste product of protein metabolism) from the blood (filter blood) and remove it in the urine
Help to maintain balance of fluid, salts etc in the blood
Produce erythropoietin- hormone to aid blood cell formation
What is the function of the ureters?
Carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder
How do the ureters carry out their function?
Smooth muscle in the walls contract and relax, forcing iron downwards and away from kidneys
What is the function of the bladder?
Temporary store of urine
Collapsible muscular bag
Detrusor muscle
How does the bladder work?
Muscular walls relax/stretch to store tribe and contract/flatter to empty it
What is the function is the urethra?
Allows urine to be excreted from the body
What are the 3 main areas of the kidney?
Outer cortex, inner medulla, renal pelvis
What are the 4 main functions of the kidney?
1) Filters blood
2) regulates blood volume and pressure
3) eliminates waste
4) controls osmolarity
What is a nephron?
Functional unit of the kidney
What is the function of the nephron?
Actual purification and filtration of blood
What are the 2 parts of the nephron?
1) renal corpuscle
2) renal tubule
What is the function of the renal corpuscle?
Filters blood
What is the function of the renal tubule?
Where reabsorption and secretion take place
What 2 structures make up the renal corpuscle?
Bowman’s capsule and glomerulus
What 3 components make up the renal tubule?
PCT
Loop of Henle
DCT
What is the function of the glomerulus?
Filters small solutes from the blood
What is the function of the PCT?
Reabsorption of water, ions and nutrients while removing toxins and adjusting the filtrate pH
What is the function of the descending loop of Henle?
Aquaporins (water pores) allow water to pass from the filtrate into the interstitial fluid
What is the function of the ascending loop of Henle?
Reabsorption of sodium and chloride ions from the filtrate into the interstitial fluid
What is the function of the DCT?
Selectively secretes/absorbs different ions to maintain blood pH and electrolyte balance
What is the function of the collecting duct?
Reabsorbs solutes and water from the filtrate
What is the function of Anti-diuretic hormone (ADH)?
Regulates water absorption in the DCT and CD
Where is ADH produced and stored/released from?
Produced- hypothalamus
Stored- posterior pituitary gland (also released from here into the bloodstream)
What are the 2 functions of ADH?
1) water retention
Eg increasing water reabsorption by DCT and CD by increasing their permeability
2) vasoconstriction
Increases Peripheral resistance- rise in arterial pressure
