Renal physiology Lecture Flashcards
What is paracellular transport?
Transport between cells (through the gaps between cells) does not pass into the cytoplasm of any cells
Roughly what percentage of circulating blood goes to the kidneys?
25%
What section of the kidney are the nephrons found?
THe renal pyramids
How does osmolality related to water potential?
As the osmolality increases (more solute per solvent) the water potential decreases
What is the term for the blood vessek that surrounds the loop of Henle what does it originate from?
The vasa recta
Branch from the efferent arteriole.
VAsa recta wil branch into peritubular vessels
What are the three categories that renal function can be seperated into?
Homoeostatic function - BP, urine output, salt and water balance (osmolality)
Hormonal influence - renin, EPO, vitamin D
Protein catabolism and gluconeogenesis
Why did the kidney develop evolutionary?
Transition from water to land
As a mechansim to conserve salt and water
What is important to remember about the rate of filtration and reabsorption in the nephron?
Almost all of the content that is filtered out of the blood in the glomerula filtrate is reasborbed - particularly glucose, water and bicarbonate
Only 50% of urea is absorbed
What is the basic function of the glomerulus?
Filtration
What is the basic function of the proximal convoluted tubulule?
Reabsorbs the majority of NaCl and water
Reabsorbs HCO3-
Produces NH3
Secrete organinc anions and cations
Rebsorbs most of the filtrate - ions, urea, glucose and aminio acids
What is the basic role of the loop of henle?
Maintain the countercurrent multiplier
Reabsorbs some NaCL
Activate the regulation of magnesium excretion
What is the basic role of the distal convoluted tubule?
Small amount of NaCL reabsorded
Active regulation of Calcium ion excretion
What is the basic role of the connecting segment and the cortical collecting duct?
Aldosterone mediated potassium excretion
H+ ion secretion
Potassium reabsorption
ADH mediated water reabsorption
What is the basic role of the medullary collecting duct?
Potassium absorption or secretion
Final NaCL reabsorptions
ADH mediated water and urea reabsoprtion
H+ and NH3 secretion
What forces control filtration rate in the glomerulus?
Starling forces - oncotic and hydrostatic
What is important to remember about the arterioles that supply and drain the glomerulus?
Supplied by the afferent arteriole
Drained by the efferent arteriole
These are able to constrict and dilate independently of each other due to external and internal factors.
This allows them to influence glomerular flow and pressure hence filtration
What has a larger diameter the afferent or efferent arteriole of the glomerulus?
Why is this important?
The afferent has a larger diameter
This means the diamater of the blood vessel decreases in the glomerulus, this will increase the pressure of the vessel aiding ultrafiltration
What forces drives movement of fluid through the nephron?
The pressure within the bowmans space (continuous with the urinary space in the rest of the nephron)
How do the afferent and efferent arteriole protect the kidney?
Control the volume and pressure of blood flow in the glomerulus
Hence can maintain the glomerular filtration rate
If the blood pressure is too low explain how the afferent and efferent arteriole will respond in the glomerulus?
The afferent would dilate to increase blood flow
The efferent would constrict to maintain flow and pressure within the glomerulus
How does renal blood flow relate to systemic blood pressure?
Blood pressure within a normal range should not influence renal blood flow
This is becuase of renal autoregulation where the afferent and efferent arterioles can act indepently of systemic trends to control renal blood flow hence GFR
What are the intrinsic factors that can control the afferent and efferent arteriole?
Renal autoregulation
-arteriole myogenic mechanism
- tubuloglomerular feedback
What are the extrinsic factors that regulate the afferent and efferent arterioles?
Sympathetic vasoconstriction
Activation of RAAS
What is the typically system blood pressure regulation range where real autoregulation is effective?
90-180mmHg
Describe the impact of RAAS activation on the afferent and efferent arteriole?
RAAS = try to increase blood pressure
Causes constriction of the afferent and efferent arteriole
However the efferent is more sensitive the RAAS to constrict more, this limits the amount of blood that can leave the glomerulus so increases GFR