Renal Physiology Flashcards
What is the primary function of the kidneys?
Regulate the plasma of blood
ie Regulate our blood volume and pressure (through regulation of ECF (plasma, IF and CSF))
What are five functions of the kidney?
- Regulate our blood volume and pressure
- Maintain [water] and fluid volume
- Maintain acid-base balance
- pH (measure of [H+] in a sol’n)
- Excretion of waste products
- urea, uric acid, creatinine, bilirubin
- foreign chemicals
- Synthesis of new glucose molecules gluconeogenesis
- Secrete renal hormones
- Erythropoietin (EPO) synthesized by fibroblasts in the kidney
- Renin
- 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D
Kidneys regulate fluid volume, which affects _______ and _________
Kidneys regulate fluid volume, which affects blood volume and blood pressure
What is the distribution of water between ICF and ECF?
ECF includes _____, ______ and ______
- 60% of body weight is water
- 40% is intracellular fluid (ICF)
- 20% is Extracellular fluid (ECF)
- ECF includes Plasma, Interstitial Fluid (IF), and Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)
Fluid volume changes can occur during various health disorders:
- Changes that occur where plasma volume is affected happen due to:
Fluid volume changes can occur during various health disorders:
- Changes that occur where plasma volume is affected happen due to:
- rapid movement of water from plasma component by the process of osmosis
Kidney’s regulate the ______ which includes: (3)
Kidney’s regulate the Extracellular fluid which includes: (3)
- Plasma
- Interstitial fluid
- cerebrospinal fluid
Sodium and Chloride have a higher concentration in which fluid compartment (ICF or ECF)?
Sodium and Chloride have a higher concentration in Extracellular fluid
(Na+ is pumped out and Cl- follows)
Sodium
Out
Potassium
In
Positive
Out
Negative
In
Potassium has a higher concentration in which fluid compartment?
Potassium has a higher concentration in Intracellular fluid (ICF)
Bicarbonate has a higher concentration in which fluid compartment?
Bicarbonate has a higher concentration in extracellular fluid
(along with Sodium and Chloride)
Phosphate has a higher concentration in which fluid compartment?
Phosphate has a higher concentration in intracellular fluid
(along with potassium)
What are Aquaporins?
Specialized water-selective channels in the plasma membrane that are responsible for the rapid diffusion of water
What is water concentration of a solution dependent on?
Number of solutes dissolved in the water
(High osmolarity = lots of dissolved solute = water moves toward high osmolarity)
Water concentration is measured in:
Osmoles:
Osmolarity:
Water concentration is measured in:
Osmoles: 1 osmole (osm) = 1 mole of solute particles
Osmolarity: number of solutes per unit volume of sol’n expressed in moles/L
Water concentration is always recorded in ______
Water concentration is always recorded in osmoles
What is Osmosis defined as?
Net diffusion of water across a selectively permeable membrane from a region of high water concentration to one with lower water concentration
The pressure necessary to prevent solvent movement (osmosis) is known as:
Osmotic pressure of the solution
Define osmotic pressure
Pressure required to stop osmosis completely
- will push and prevent water from coming into the cell, to prevent them from taking in too much water and bursting
What is tonicity?
Tonicity= concentration of non-penetrating solutes of an extracellular sol’n
-solutes that cannot cross the plasma membrane BUT may influence changes in cell volume
- Tonicity is determined by:
- The concentrations of the non-penetrating solutes may influence ________
- Tonicity is determined by: The concentration of non-penetrating solutes of an extracellular solution relative to the intracellular environment
- The concentrations of the non-penetrating solutes may influence changes in cell volume
What are the three classes of tonicity that one solution could have relative to another?
- Isotonic (isoosmotic)
- same osmolarity outside and inside the cell
- Hypertonic (Hyperosmotic)
- higher osmolarity outside than inside the cell (water moves out)
- Hypotonic (Hypoosmotic)
- Lower osmolarity outside than inside the cell (water moves in)
isoosmotic, hyperosmotic, and hypoosmotic refer to the osmolarity but do not take into consideration in the solute is non-penetrating or penetrating
Water flows from a region of _____ osmolarity to a region of _____ osmolarity.
The normal osmolarity inside a cell is ~______
Water flows from a region of lower osmolarity to a region of higher osmolarity.
The normal osmolarity inside a cell is ~300mOsm/L (milliosmoles per liter)
How does cell volume change when a cell is placed into an isotonic solution?
No net change in cell volume
How does cell volume change when the cell is placed into a Hypertonic solution?
Hypertonic = ECF has higher osmolarity (higher [solute]) water will flow from inside the cell to outside and the cell will shrink
How does cell volume change when a cell is placed into a hypotonic solution?
Hypotonic = the ECF has a LOWER osmolarity (lower [solute])
Water will move back into the cell and the cell will swell
ECF compartment = ______ (which stays within the blood vessels) and _____
ECF compartment = Plasma (which stays within the blood vessels) and interstitial fluid
*Kidney’s can regulate the volume of the plasma
What is absorption?
Movement of water and solutes from the interstitial fluid compartment to the plasma
What is filtration?
Movement of water and solutes from the plasma to the interstitial fluid
Hydrostatic pressure is the pressure exerted by a ____
Hydrostatic pressure is the pressure exerted by a _fluid (_Every fluid has this property)
What is Capillary hydrostatic pressure?
Does it favour filtration or absorption?
Hydrostatic pressure exerted on the walls of the capillary by blood as it flows through the capillary
- Favours filtration
- ie pushes some of the fluid out of the capillary into the IF
What is Interstitial fluid hydrostatic pressure and does it favour filtration or absorption?
- Pressure of the IF on the walls of the capillary (PIF)
- Pushes fluid INTO the capillaries (ie favours absorption)
What is the contribution of the plasma proteins to fluid movement?
- Proteins are large and sometimes charged = cannot move in and out of capillaries easily
- Inside the plasma there is a high [plasma proteins] which contribute to osmolarity
- osmotic force due to plasma protein concentration (πC):
- ↑[p. proteins] = ↓[H2O] inside the capillaries
- Water will move into the capillary
- osmotic force due to plasma protein concentration (πC):
How is the Net filtration pressure calculated?
With the Starling forces (PC, πC, πIF, PIF)
Net Filtration Pressure = PC + πIF - PIF - πC
Forces out (PC + πIF)- Forces In (PIF + πC )
PC = Capillary hydrostatic pressure
πIF = Osmotic force due to interstitial fluid [protein]
πC = Osmotic force due to plasma [protein]
PIF = Interstitial fluid hydrostatic pressure
What are the four starling forces? What do they determine?
- PC
- πIF
- πC
- PIF
- PC = Capillary hydrostatic pressure
- πIF = Osmotic force due to interstitial fluid [protein]
- πC = Osmotic force due to plasma [protein]
- PIF = Interstitial fluid hydrostatic pressure
Starling forces determine the net filtration pressure
Look at the values in the image and calculate Net Filtration Pressure at the Arterial end of the capillary
Net filtration pressure = 35 + 3 - 0 - 28 = 10 mmHg = favours filtration
Look at the image and use the values to calculate the Net filtration pressure at the venous end of the capillary
Net filtration pressure = 15 + 3 - 0 - 28 = -10mmHg = Favours absorption
The kidneys are ______ in location
The kidneys are retroperitoneal in location
What is the Hilum?
Inner concave part of the kidney
The bladder receives innervation from the ______; emptying of the bladder is controlled by _______ and ________ inputs
The bladder receives innervation from the ANS; emptying of the bladder is controlled by parasympathetic and sympathetic inputs
What are the two major divisions of the nephron?
Where are they located?
- Renal corpuscle
- glomerulus
- bowman’s capsule
- Located in the CORTEX
- renal tubule
- Proximal convoluted tubule
- Loop of Henle
- Distal convoluted tubule
- Collecting Duct
- Located in the cortex with loop of henle extending into the renal medulla
What is the renal corpuscle?
- Initial blood filtering component of the nephron
- Composed of the glomerulus and the bowman’s capsule
Blood enters the renal corpuscle through the __________ and exits the renal corpuscle through the _______
Blood enters the renal corpuscles through the Afferent Arteriole and exits the renal corpuscles through the Efferent Arteriole
Outer wall of the bowman’s capsule is made of _______ and surrounds the ________
*Insert image from page 10 of lecture 2 slides*
Outer wall of the bowman’s capsule is made of epithelial cells and surrounds the bowman’s space (where filtrate enters)
What are podocytes?
Cells of the bowman’s capsule which come in contact with the glomerular capillaries (on invaginated region of the bowman’s capsule which forms the bowman’s cup)
The epithelial cell layer of the bowman’s capsule continues on to form the ______
The epithelial cell layer of the bowman’s capsule continues on to form the tubules
- portion where processing occurs to form the urine
- function differs depending on the segment of the tubule
What is the ultimate outcome of the development of the renal corpuscle?
Development of a hollow tube which becomes the bowman’s cup and continues on as the tubule
What are the three stages of Renal corpuscle development?
- When the kidneys are forming during fetal development
- nephron develops first as a blind-ended tube (no opening)
- tube is lined by a layer of epithelial cells sitting on a basement membrane
- Growing tuft of capillaries penetrate the expanded end of tubules
- tubule invaginates
- capillaries continue to move closer to the epithelial cell layer
- basal lamina is trapped in between endothelial cells of capillaries and epithelial layer
- Epithelial cell layer differentiates into parietal (outer) and visceral (inner) layers
- The outer layer does NOT fuse with the inner layer - space between them
- Parietal layer eentually flattened to become wall of bowman’s capsule and Visceral layer becomes Podocyte cell layer
What is the parietal layer of the Bowman’s Capsule?
The outer layer of epithelial cells which forms the outer wall of the bowman’s capsule
What is the visceral layer of the the bowman’s capsule?
The layer closest to the glomerular capillaries; cells are the podocytes
What is the basement membrane of the glomerular capillary (of the renal corpuscle) composed of?
Gel-like mesh structure composed of collagen proteins and glycoproteins
where are podocytes found in relation to the basement membrane?
Podocytes are found outside the basement membrane with filtration slits through which fluid moves
- foot processes (cytoplasmic projections) wrap around the capillaries and leave slits between them
what is the purpose the foot processes?
increase surface area available for filtration
What are the 3 layers of the glomerular capillary?
- endothelial layer
- fenestrated to allow for filtration
- basement membrane
- gel-like mesh made of collagen proteins and glycoproteins
- podocytes
- have filtration slits and foot processes to increase surface area available for filtration
What are the two types of nephron?
- Cortical Nephron (~85%)
- Renal corpuscle of the cortical nephrons is always found in the cortex
- tubule segment, collecting duce and distal convoluted tubule and the proximal tubule are mostly located in the cortex
- portions may dip into the medulla
- Juxtamedullary (15%)
- Sit closer to the medulla area
- Renal corpuscle is in cortex but closer to medulla
- Loop of henle and ascending limb are found in the renal medulla
What are the 3 types of renal processes?
- Filtration
- Reabsorption
- Secretion
What is the difference between the functions of cortical nephrons and juxtamedullary nephrons?
- Cortical nephtrons perform the three basic functions (filtration, reabsorption, secretion)
- Juxtamedullary nephrons perform the three functions AND regulate the concentration of urine
How do juxtamedullary nephrons regulate the concentration of urine?
- create osmotic gradients in the interstitial space or outside the Loop of Henle (in the medulla)
- Osmotic gradients help in water volume regulation
- retain fluid when dehydrated and produce more urine when hydrated.
- Afferent arteriole branches off from the _______ and diverges into the __________
- Brings blood into the _________
- Blood travels through the ______ in the ________
- Afferent arteriole branches off from the renal artery and diverges into the capillaries of the glomerulus
- Brings blood into the glomerular capillary network
- Blood travels through the Bowman’s capsule in the glomerulus or glomerular capillaries
Blood exits the glomerulus through the _______ arteriole which branches to form a set of capillaries called the _________
Blood exits the glomerulus through the efferent arteriole which branches to form a set of capillaries called the peritubular capillary network
- Peritubular capillaries are found around the proximal convoluted tubules
- fuse together to form the renal vein
Capillaries that are found mostly associated with juxtamedullary nephrons in the medullary portion of the kidney = ________
Vasa recta
Both the _______ and the _______ are important for forming the osmotic gradient
Both the loop of henle and the vasa recta are important for forming the osmotic gradient
What happens during glomerular filtration?
Fluid in the blood is filtered across the capillaries of the glomerulus and into bowman’s space
- blood is brought to the kidneys by the renal artery and then enters the glomeruli through the afferent arterioles, where it undergoes glomerular filtration
What are the three basic processes in the production of urine
- Glomerular filtration
- fluid in blood filtered across capillaries of glomerulus into bowmans space
- Tubular reabsorption
- movement of substance from the lumen back into the blood
- Tubular secretion
- movement of nonfiltered substances from the capillaries into the tubular lumen
What is tubular reabsorption?
- Movement of a substance from inside the tubule into the blood
- eg: glucose is reabsorbed as it is a very important energy source
What is tubular secretion?
Movement of nonfiltered substances from the capillaries into the tubular lumen
- waste products that did not undergo filtration can be removed from the blood via tubular secretion
Urinary excretion: Blood is filtered at the ______ and then substances are added _________ to the tubules while other substances are ______
Urinary excretion: Blood is filtered at the glomeruli and then substances are added (secreted) to the tubules while other substances are reabsorbed
What are the filtration layers?
Layers that substances cross as they moved from the lumen of the glomerular capillareis into Bowman’s space
Include:
- Capillary endothelial layer
- Basement membrane
- Podocytes with filtration slits
What is filtered out of the blood at the glomerulus?
Almost everything except large proteins (albumin), large anions and blood cells
- water, electrolytes, glucose, amino acids, fatty acids, vitamins and waste products such as urea, uric acid and creatinine
Why aren’t proteins filtered at the glomerulus?
(4)
- Fenestrations in the capillary endothelium are not large enough to allow proteins to pass through
- Fenestrations (pores) have negative charges and thus repel the negative charge on some proteins
- Basement membrane also has negative charge
- Foot processes of the podocytes interdigitate and form filtration slits
- slits remain covered with fine semiporous membranes made up of proteins such as nephrins and podocins
- Foot processes of the podocytes interdigitate and form __________
- these are covered with ____________ made up of proteins such as _______ and ________
- Foot processes of the podocytes interdigitate and form filtration slits
- these are covered with fine semiporous membranes made up of proteins such as nephrins and podocins
How is the concentration of a substrate filtered through the filtration layers different in the plasma and in the filtrate?
The concentration of a substrate filtered through the filtration layers is the same between the plasma and the filtrate
What is ultrafiltrate?
the cell free fluid that has come into bowman’s space and, except for plasma proteins (and substances bound to them) and blood cells, contains mostly all the substances at the same concentrations as in the plasma
What is proteinuria?
A condition where some of the proteins that are not supposed to pass through the filtration barrier show up in the filtrate and ultimately in the urine
What could a mutation in the synthesis of podocins and nephrins result in?
Recall: Podocins and nephrins make up the semiporous membranes covering the filtration slits of podocytes to assist in the prevention protein filtration at the glomerulus
- mutation in these proteins would resule in proteinuria (protein filtered at glomerulus into bowman’s space and showing up in the urine)
What are the forces involved in Glomerular filtration?
(3)
- PGC
- Glomerular capillary hydrostatic pressure
- hydrostatic pressure of the blood that is found in the glomerulus (pushes fluid out of capillary and into bowman’s space = favours filtration)
- 60mmHg
- PBS
- Bowman’s space hydrostatic pressure
- fluid pressure in bowman’s space
- opposes filtration
- 15mmHg
- πGC
- Osmotic force due to proteins in the plasma
- Higher [protein] in plasma than in bowman’s space
- opposes filtration
- 29mmHg
What is PGC
PGC
- Glomerular capillary hydrostatic pressure
- hydrostatic pressure of the blood that is found in the glomerulus (pushes fluid out of capillary and into bowman’s space = favours filtration)
- 60mmHg
What is PBC
PBS
- Bowman’s space hydrostatic pressure
- fluid pressure in bowman’s space
- opposes filtration
- 15mmHg
What is πGC
πGC
- Osmotic force due to proteins in the plasma
- Higher [protein] in plasma than in bowman’s space
- opposes filtration
- 29mmHg
What is the Net glomerular filtration pressure?
Sum of the three forces (PGC, PBS, πGC)
Forces favouring filtration - forces opposing filtration
Net filtration = PGC - PBS - πGC
= 60 - 15 - 29 = 16mmHg
- Positive pressure = pushes protein free filtrate from the plasma out of the glomerulus into Bowman’s space
What is the osmotic force due to proteins in the Bowman’s space (πBS)
Zero in a healthy individual because there should be NO proteins in the Bowman’s space
What factor would contribute to an increase in the glomerular filtration rate?
High blood pressure
- Increase in BP would increase glomerular filtration rate
What factor would result in a decrease in the glomerular filtration rate?
Increase in the protein concentration in the plasma would increase the protein content in the glomerular capillaries (increase πGC) thus decreasing glomerular filtration rate
What is “filtration fraction”
- Plasma volume entering the afferent arteriole = 100%
- 20% of the plasma volume is filtered into Bowman’s space, this is the filtration fraction
What happens to the 80% of plasma that is not filtered into Bowman’s space?
Of the 20% that is filtered, how much is excreted?
- The 80% leaves through the efferent arterioles into the peritubular capillaries and eventually back into the main circulation
- Of the 20% that is filtered, 19% is reabsorbed into the peritubular capillaries
- ~1% of the volume that was filtered will be excreted to the external environment
The volume of fluid filtered from the glomerulus into the Bowman’s space per unit time is called the:
Glomerular filtration rate
What is a normal Glomerular filtration rate?
What is this number used for in a clinical setting?
- 125mL/minute OR 180L/day *Not a fixed Value*
- Used to look at the health of the kidney
What are four factors that affect Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR)?
- Net glomerular filtration pressure (blood pressure)
- Neural and endocrine control
- Permeability of the corpuscular membrane
- surface area available for filtration
GFR remains fairly constant despite large changes in arterial pressure or renal blood flow due to _______
- Glomerular filtration rate remains fairy constant as the _________ changes from 80mmHg to 180mmHg
GFR remains fairly constant despite large changes in arterial pressure or renal blood flow due to autoregulation
- Glomerular filtration rate remains fairy constant as the mean arterial pressure changes from 80mmHg to 180mmHg
Autoregulation is regulated by changes in the _______ as well as by the _________ effect
Autoregulation is regulated by changes in the myogenic reflex as well as by the tubuloglomerular effect
In what range of mean arterial blood pressure can the glomerular filtration rate remain fairly constant?
80mmHg to 180mmHg
Resistance changes in the renal arterioles alter ______ and ________
Resistance changes in the renal arterioles alter renal blood flow and glomerular filtration rate
How can resistance of the afferent arteriole be changed to alter how much blood is coming in?
- Constriction of the afferent arteriole
- due to myogenic response
- Constriction increases resistance to flow and will decrease renal blood flow to the glomerulus
- Decrease in renal blood flow reduces the hydrostatic pressure of the glomerular capillary (PGC) resulting in decrease in the glomerular filtration rate
What causes constriction of the afferent arteriole and how will this constriction alter GFR?
- Constriction due to myogenic response
- Increases resistance afferent in arterial = decreases renal blood flow = decrease PGC = decrease glomerular filtration rate
What are four scenarios that can alter GFR?
-
Constrict afferent arteriole
- Decrease PGC = decrease GFR
-
Constrict efferent arteriole
- volume of blood builds up in the glomerular capillaries = increase PGC = Increase GFR
-
Dilate efferent arteriole
- Decrease resistance = renal blood will drain rapidly = decrease PGC = decrease GFR
-
Dilate afferent arteriole
- increase BF to afferent arteriole = increase PGC = Increase GFR
How will each of the following scenarious affect GFR?
- Constrict afferent arteriole
- Constrict efferent arteriole
- Dilate efferent arteriole
- Dilate afferent arteriole
- Constrict afferent arteriole
- Decrease PGC= decrease GFR
- Constrict efferent arteriole
- volume of blood builds up in the glomerular capillaries = increase PGC = Increase GFR
- Dilate efferent arteriole
- Decrease resistance = renal blood will drain rapidly = decrease PGC= decrease GFR
- Dilate afferent arteriole
- increase BF to afferent arteriole = increase PGC= Increase GFR
What is the myogenic response?
Myo = muscle
Arteriole smooth muscle contracts or relaxes in response to increases or decreases in pressure
What is tubular glomerular feedback? (tubuloglomerular feedback)
- Juxtaglomerular apparatus has tubuloglomerular feeback
- controls the autoregulatory processes and affects the glomerular filtration rate depending on the volume flowing through the JGA
- Tubuloglomerular feedback is an adaptive mechanism that links the rate of glomerular filtration to the concentration of salt in the tubule fluid at the macula densa
What is the juxtaglomerular apparatus (JGA)?
- specialized structure formed by the distal convoluted tubule and the glomerular afferent arteriole
- Next to the glomerulus
- Helps control GFR via tubuloglomerular feedback
What are three cell types that control glomerular filtration rate at the JGA?
- Macula densa
- Juxtaglomerular cells
- Mesengial cells (NOT CONSIDERED PART OF THE JGA)
What is the macula densa?
Cells of the juxtaglomerular apparatus:
- on wall of distal tubule at the junction where the ascending limb is beginning to form the distal tubule
- close proximity to the glomerulus
- sense increase in sodium and increased flow through distal tubule
- secrete vasoactive compounds
- By paracrine effects changes afferent arteriole resistance
- adenosine is a paracrince factor which has an effect on arteriolar resistance by signalling JG cells
What are juxtaglomerular cells?
Cells of the Juxtoglomerular apparatus (JGA)
- aka granular cells
- sit on top of the afferent arteriole
- innervated by sympathetic nerve fibres which can change the resistance of the afferent arteriole
- Release renin which controls afferent arteriole resistance
What are mesangial cells?
Found in the triangular region between the afferent and efferent arterioles
- Not considered part of JGA
- Contraction allows podocytes to contract
- shrinks surface area of glomerular filtration surface
- contribute to controlling filtration surface area which affects the GFR
Which cells of the JGA secrete vasoactive compounds and sense increased sodium and increased flow through the distal tubule?
Macula densa cells on the wall of the distal tubule
What cells of the JGA secrete renin?
Juxtaglomerular cells on top of the afferent arteriole
What is the role of the macula densa in tubuloglomerular feedback?
- When increased fluid volume flows through the distal tubule, there is a feedback effect on the glomerular structure in controlling the GFR
- Increase in the GFR = Increase flow to the tubule = flow past macula densa increases = paracrine factors from the macula densa are secreted = act on afferent arteriole = constricts = resistance in afferent arteriole increases = PGC decreases = GFR decreases
What is filtered load?
How is it calculated?
- The amount of a substance that is filtered by the kidneys per day or, how much of the load is filtered into bowman’s space
- Calculated by multiplying the glomerular filtration rate by the concentration of the substance in the plasma
- Filtered load = (GFR)([substance in plasma])
- eg: filtered load of glucose:
- [glucose] in blood = 1g/L
- GFR = 180L/day
- Filtered load (glucose) = (180)(1) = 180g/day
What is indicated if the substance excreted in urine is less that the filtered load of that substance?
Reabsorption has occurred
What is indicated if the substance excreted in the urine is more than the filtered load?
Secretion has occurred
What is indicated by each of the 3 figures?
1) Filtration + secretion = 100% secretion
2) Filtration + partial reabsorption = only small amount shows in urine (less than filtration fraction)
3) Filtration + complete reabsorption = 100% reabsorption (eg glucose)
What are two examples of substances that undergo only filtration (ie whatever is filtered is excreted, no reabsorption, and no secretion)
- Inulin
- freely filtered
- Filtered only and what is filtered is excreted completely in the urine
- No secretion or reabsorption
- A polysaccharide that is found in vegetables and plants
- Creatinine
- Filtered only and what is filtered is excreted completely in the urine
- No secretion or reabsorption
What is ultrafiltrate?
the protein-free fluid formed as the plasma is filtered at the glomerulus; the concentration of substances in the filtrate and in the plasma, except for plasma proteins (and blood cells), should be the same
Approximately __% of the plasma that enters into the glomerular capillaries is filtered into Bowman’s space; this is the ________
Approximately 20% of the plasma that enters into the glomerular capillaries is filtered into Bowman’s space; this is the filtration fraction