the genitourinary system Flashcards
what are 5 functions of the kidney
1) excretion of metabolic products eg urea, uric acid and creatinine
2) excretion of foreign substances eg drugs
3) homeostasis of body fluids, electrolytes and acid-base balance
4) regulates blood pressure
5) secreted hormones eg erythropoietin and renin
what does erythropoietin do
protects RBCs against destruction
stimulates stem cells of the bone marrow to increase production of RBCs
what does renin do
it is released in response to low blood pressure or Na+ depletion
converts angiotensinogen to angiotensin 1
where does renal blood supply to the kidneys come from
peritubular capillaries (reabsorption - max SA, secretion and oxygen and nutrients for nephron function) tiny blood vessels in the kidney that filter and reabsorb
what is the pathway for blood travelling in the kidney
renal artery segmental artery interlobar artery arcuate artery interlobular artery afferent arteriole glomerular capillaries efferent arteriole peritubular capillaries interlobular vein arcuate vein interlobar vein renal vein
what is the function of detrusor muscle
contracts to build pressure in the urinary bladder to support urination
during urination this contracts
what is the function of the trigone
stretching of this triangular region to its limit signals the brain about need for urination
what is the function of the internal sphincter
Internal sphincter = Involuntary control
involuntary control to prevent urination - smooth muscle contracts
what is the function of the external sphincter
voluntary control to prevent urination (surrounds urethra - striated muscle)
what is the function of the bubourethral gland
produces thick lubricant which is added to watery semen to promote sperm survival
what is a nephron
a functional unit of the kidney
what is the structure for a nephron (chronological)
afferent arteriole
glomerulus - has capillaries
bowmans capsule
efferent arteriole
proximal convoluted tubule (epithelial rich in mitochondria - transport happens here)
thin descending loop of Henle
thin ascending loop of Henle (epithelial = low density of mitochondria - passive)
thick ascending loop of Henle (epithelial = rich in mitochondria - active reabsorption salt)
distal convoluted tubule (epithelial rich in mitochondia - active)
collecting duct (principal cells = low density mitochondria and intercalated cells = rich AT)
what is the ratio for superficial to juxtamedullary nephrons
~10:1
what is the juxtaglomerular apparatus
specialised structure formed by distal convoluted tubule and glomerular afferent arteriole
what are the constituents of the juxtaglomerular apparatus
macula densa (specialised cells lining the wall of the DCT) extraglomerular mesangial cells juxtaglomerular cells (afferent arteriole) - produce renin (conversion of angiotensinogen to angiotensin 1 - controls aldosterone production)
what is the function of the juxtaglomerular apparatus
GFR regulation through tubuloglomerular feedback mechanism
renin secretion for regulating blood pressure
what arteriole branches out to form peritubular capillaries surrounding the nephron
efferent arteriole
pathway for bringing in blood
afferent arteriole > glomerular capillaries > efferent arteriole > peritubular capillaries surrounding nephron
what are the 4 main processes that happen in the nephron
1) glomerular filtration (into bowmans capsule)
2) reabsorption (substances are reabsorbed - move from tubular filtrate into blood)
3) secretion (substances move from blood into filtrate)
4) excretion (through urine)
how is urine produced
different substances undergo a different combination of renal processes to produce urine
what is the passive process of glomerular filtration
fluid is “driven” through the semipermeable glomerular capillaries into the Bowmans capsule space by the hydrostatic pressure of the heart
hydrostatic = pushing
describe the filtration barrier
size and charge dependent
highly permeable to fluids and small solutes
impermeable to cells and proteins (blood cells and proteins)
what is the direction of filtration
glomerulus to bowmans capsule
what are the spaces between podocytes called
slits
made up of finger like projections creating very small spaces between them - only water and small solutes can pass through
what is the charge of the molecules the blood is mostly composed of
negatively charged molecules
what is hydrostatic pressure
pushing force
fluid exerts this pressure (outward pressure)
solute and fluid molecules are shoved out
what is oncotic pressure
pulling force
solute (eg proteins) exerts this pressure (inwards pressure)
fluid molecules drawn in across a semipermeable membrane
in the IF, in which direction does the hydrostatic and oncotic pressure go
IF hydrostatic goes into blood vessel
IF oncotic goes out of vessel
what is the equation for net ultrafiltration pressure (Puf)
Puf = HPgc - HPbw - 3.14159265359gc
HPgc = hydrostatic pressure in glomerular capillaries (pushing out) HPbw = hydrostatic pressure in bowmans capsule 3.14159265359gc = oncotic pressure of plasma proteins in glomerular capillaries
what is the definition for GFR
the amount of fluid filtered from the glomeruli into the bowmans capsule per unit time (mL/min)
sum of the filtration rate of all functioning nephrons - both kidneys