Renal System

Question 1

What are the functions of the kidney?

Answer 1

• Homeostatic regulation of water and ion content of blood
  • Excretion of metabolic waste products e.g. urea, creatinine
  • Production of hormones

Question 2

Homeostatic regulation of water and ion content of blood

Answer 2

• Regulation of osmolarity - maintenance of ion balance
• Regulation of extracellular fluid volume – blood
pressure
• Regulation of pH

Question 3

Excretion of metabolic waste products

Answer 3

• e.g. urea, creatinine

Question 4

Production of hormones

Answer 4

• Renin - sodium balance
• Activation of vitamin D – Ca2+ balance, bone
• Prostaglandins and kinins - renal blood flow

Question 5

What is the nephron?

Answer 5

• nephron is the functional unit of the kidney

Question 6

What is the nephron closely associated with ?

Answer 6

• specialized blood vessels

Question 7

What is the first part of the nephron ?

Answer 7

• Bowman’s capsule

Question 8

What does the Bowman’s capsule contain?

Answer 8

• contains a network of capillaries known as the glomerulus, where plasma fluid is ultra-filtrated

Question 9

Where does fluid filtered from the glomerulus flow into ?

Answer 9

• flows into the proximal tubule
• then into the loop of Henle which dips down into the medulla(descending limb) and then back up (ascending limb)
• passes into the distal tubule
• distal tubules of up to 8 nephrons drain into a single larger tubule, called collecting duct which pass from the cortex into the medulla