S2: Renal Plasma Flashcards
What is glomerular filtration rate (GFR)?
How much filtrate is removed from the blood each minute
What is the equation for the net filtration pressure?
, PGC – (PBS + ΠGC) = 16mmHg
Glomerular capillary pressure - (hydrostatic pressure in Bowman’s space and oncotic force of plasma protein
Equation for urinary excretion rate
GFR - reabsorption rate + secretion rate
What factors determine GFR?
GFR contributes to the rapid removal of waste products
GFR is determined by a combination of factors
- The hydrostatic and oncotic pressures across capillary membranes
The permeability of capillary filtration barrier and surface area available
How do we measure GFR?
We don’t measure GFR directly, instead we measure it using the excretion of a marker substance.
What substance is best used to measure GFR (and why)?
A substance that is freely filtered and no absorbed/secreted for example creatinine.
This is because nothing is done to it so the rate of which this substance is appearing in urine matches the rate it is being filtered
What is the Inulin Method?
- Gold standard for measuring GFR
- Not used clinically
Inulin is an inert polysaccharide that is freely filtered through glomerular membrane and is not absorbed, secreted or metabolised
Rate of filtration through glomerular membrane per min = rate of entry into bladder per minute
List the steps of the inulin method
- We do not make inulin so it would have to be infused in blood via IV until plasma levels (Pin) becomes steady. This is checked by doing repeated blood samples.
- Container given to person to collect all their urine in a defined period of time
- Concentration of inulin in urine worked out (Uin)
- Rate of filtration (of that substance) through glomerular membrane per minute is equal to the rate of entry (of S) into the bladder per minute.
Calculate GFR eq. using equations and inulin method
GFR = Glomerular filtration rate (ml.min-1) Pin = plasma inulin concentration (mg.ml-1) Uin = urine inulin concentration (mg.ml-1) V* = urine flow rate (ml.min-1)
Rate of filtration = [Pin] x GFR
[Pin] x GFR = [Uin] x V*
GFR= [Uin] x V* / [Pin]
What is renal clearence?
Volume of plasma that is completely cleared of the substance by the kidney per unit of time, (in other words excreted in urine each minute), expressed in ml/min.
Why is renal clearance not the same as GFR?
Because many substances are modified as they go through the renal tubule, some is reabsorbed and some is secreted. So if we just looked at GFR it wouldn’t tell us what is happening with the substance while it is going through.
What is the formula for working out renal clearacne?
Cs= Clearance rate of substance (s) Ps= Plasma concentration of s Us= Urinary concentration of s V*= Urine flow rate
Cs x Ps = Us x V*
Cs = Us x V*/Ps
What are the negative with using inulin as the gold standard?
- Prolonged infusion (as it isn’t made in the body)
- Repeated plasma samples needed (to check if it is stable)
- Difficult for routine clinical use
What is used to measure GFR clinically?
Why??
Clinically creatinine is used for GFR measurement
- It is an intrinsic, inert substance
- Released at steady level in plasma from skeletal muscle so no infusion needed unlike inulin
- Freely filtered and no re absorption in the tubule
What is the disadvantage with using creatinine to measure GFR?
Some creatinine is secreted into the tubule so the
Ccr (creatinine clearance) will be slightly greater than GFR
What is Trimethoprim?
Trimethoprim, an antibiotic is a competitive inhibitor (competes for the transport channel) of creatinine secretion, so may cause an artificial increase in plasma creatinine.
Where does creatinine come from?
Creatinine is made in the skeletal muscles and released at a steady state. It is released at a steady state from creatine and phosphocreatine. There are two sources of creatine, de-novo synthesis in the liver and what you take in through your diet.