Renal Physiology Flashcards
Basic Function of the Kidney
1) Urine Production Via Filtration and Reabsorption 2) Regulation of blood and cleaning/filtering 3) Secretion of hormones in response to blood. Ex) Renin, Erythropoietin, VitD 99% of filtration gets reabsorbed by body
List and identify structure of nephron
List the vasculature associated with the nephron
1) Afferent arteriole => brings blood into the glomerulus for filtration.
2) Efferent arteriole => bring blood out that has reabsobed substances from nephron.
3) Peritubular capillaries => Tiny blood vessels of the efferent arterioles that surround the PCT and DCT and are crucial in reabsorption.
4) Vasa Recta => Extension of the peritubular capillaries that surround the loop of henle.
What are the two types of nephrons found in the kidney
1) Cortical
2) Juxtaglomerular
Function of juxtamedullary vs cortical nephron
Juxtamedullary => more responsible for the concentration of urine (minority of nephrons in kidney)
Cortial => Excretion of waste (Majority of nephrons in kidney)
Big take away from lecture was Juxtamedullary is the nephron that is mainly involved in urine production.
Structural differences between the cortial and juxtamedullary nephron
Cortical:
- Glomerulus in upper region of cortex
- Only a small part of the loop of Henle is in medullary
- Does NOT have a thin ascending tubule
Juxtaglomerular:
- Glomerulus is near the border of cortex and medulla
- Loop of Henle runs deep in medulla
- Contains both a thin and thick acending limb
Basement membrane of glomerulus
Bowman’s capsule
What are podocytes
Specialized cells of the glomerulus that wrap around capillaries and that neighbor cells of the Bowman’s capsule
An extension of the podocytes
Pedicels
What do pedicels form
Form filtration slits
Permeability of filtrate through the glomerulus is dependent upon
Size and charge
Filtrate that is less that 15 Angstroms are _____ where are substrate greater than 35 Angstroms are _____.
Freely filtered
Not filtered
At what range of size is filtration possible but limited
Between 15A - 35A
Closer to 15A => easier the filtering
Closer to 35A => harder the filtering
Explain how charge can play a role in filtration.
Pedicels (filtration slits) have a highly negative charge. Therefore, there is an electrostatic attraction between filtrate with a charged cation.
Charge has a larger affect on filtration rate than size.
Example) A 15A negatively charged particle will have a slower filtration rate than a 20A postiviely charged particle.
Although the 20A is bigger, b/c its relatively close to 15A and is positively charged makes it faster.
What is the the concentration of free filtered molecules relative to plasma and Bowman’s Space
Concentration of filtrate in PLASMA = Concentration of filtrate in Bowman’s Space
What is the the concentration of non-freely filtered molecules relative to plasma and Bowman’s Space.
Concentration of filtrate in PLASMA > Concentration of filtrate in Bowman’s Space
What are the 4 types of Starling forces
PGC => Hydrostatic Glomerular Capsule Pressure
πBS => Oncotic Bowman’s Space Pressure
PBS => Hydrostatic Bowman’s Space Pressure
πGC => Oncotic Glomerular Capsule Pressure
Hydrostatic Pressure can be described as
Pushing force
Oncotic Presssure can be described as
Sucking force
Express the starling forces and how they affect filtration/reabsorption
Filtrate goes from glomerulus into _____ and then into ____.
Bowman’s Space and Proximal Tubule
Net movements of filtrate can be expressed by what equation and define that equation:
Starling Equation:
What do we assume of the oncotic pressure in the Bowman’s Space (πBS)
πBS = 0 mmHg,
Because proteins are NOT filtered from the Glomerular Capsule into the Bowman’s Space.
If proteins end up being filtered, this is indicative of a physiological disorder.
Diseases/disorders that can cause protein in urine (proteinuria):
Ex) Nephrotic syndrome, Lupus, Goodpasture’s syndrome and Glomerulonephritis
Give an example of something that gives urinary tract obstruction
Kidney stone