The Genitourinary System Flashcards
What are the functions of the kidney? (5)
Excretion of Metabolic products, e.g., urea, uric acid, creatinine
Excretion of foreign substances e.g., drugs
Homeostasis of body fluids, electrolytes and acid-base balance
Regulates blood pressure
Secretes hormones e.g., erythropoietin, renin
What is the anatomical structure of the kidney?
Renal artery
Renal vein
Ureter
Medulla
Minor calyx
major calyx
Cortex
What does the ureter do?
connects kidney to bladder
What is the basic role of erythropoietin?
RBC production
What are the 3 functions of the peritubular capillaries?
- reabsorption
- secretion
- providing O2 and nutrients to nephron so it can do its job
What are the peritubular capillaries?
network surroudnign the nephron
What is a schematic of the renal blood supply to the kidneys?
(entering blood)
renal artery
segmental artery
interlobar artery
arcuate artery
interlobular artery
(reaches nephron)
afferent arteriole
glomerular capillaries
efferent arteriole
peritubular capillaries
(leaving blood)
interlobular vein
arcuate vein
interlobar vein
renal vein
What at the anatomical parts of the bladder and urethra?
Detrusor muscle
Trigone
Internal sphincter
External sphincter
Bulbourethral gland
What at the anatomical parts of the bladder and urethra?
Detrusor muscle
Trigone
Internal sphincter
External sphincter
Bulbourethral gland
What is the function of the detrusor muscle?
Contracts to build pressure in the urinary bladder to support urination.
What is the function of the trigone?
Stretching of this triangular region to its limit signals the brain about the need for urination.
What is the function of the internal sphincter?
I I
Involuntary control to prevent urination.
What is the function of the external sphincter?
Voluntary control to prevent urination.
What is the function of the bulbourethral gland?
Produces thick lubricant which is added to watery semen to promote sperm survival.
What can lead to urinary incontinence?
weakening of sphincters
What are the structures in the nephron?
Glomerulus
Bowman’s capsule
Thin descending and thin ascending loop of Henle
Thick ascending loop of henle
Proximal convoluted tubule
Distal convoluted tubule
Collecting duct
What is the mitochondrial distribution in the nephron?
PCT= epithelial cells are RICH in mitochondria (lot of transport, e.g., 100% glucose reabsorbed)
Thin descending and ascending LOH= low density (due to passive reabsorption)
Thick ascending LOH= epithelial cells are RICH in mitochondria (active reabsorption)
DCT= RICH in mitochondria (salt modulation)
Collecting duct=
- Principal cells have low density
- Intercalated cells are RICH in mitochondria
What are the types of nephron?
superficial and juxtamedullary
What is the difference between superficial and juxtamedullary nephrons?
Superficial=
- LOH is shorter
- only crosses the cortex and outer medulla
- much more abundant (10:1 ratio)
Juxtamedullary=
- LOH is longer
- crosses cortex, outer and inner medulla
Why is the medulla striated?
LOH stretches into medulla
What are the constituents of the juxtaglomerular apparatus?
Macula Densa (DCT)
Extraglomerular mesangial cells
Juxtaglomerular cells (afferent arteriole)
What is the function of the macula densa?
GFR regulation through tubulo-glomerular feedback mechanism
What is the function of the juxtaglomerular cells?
renin secretion for regulation blood pressure
Where is the macula densa, juxtaglomerular cells, and extraglomerular mesangial cells?
Where is the macula densa on this diagram?
What are the different possible renal processes and what is their direction?
Glomerular filtration
Reabsorption (back into blood)
Secretion (into nephron)
Excretion
Are all substances limited to one renal process?
Different substances undergo a different combination of these renal processes.
- dependent on needs of the body as well
How is fluid driven into the bowman’s capsule?
It’s a passive process
Fluid is ‘driven’ through the semipermeable glomerular capillaries into the Bowman’s capsule space by the hydrostatic pressure of the heart.
What is the filtration barrier?
size and charge dependent
Highly permeable to fluids and small solutes. Impermeable to cells and proteins.
What is the filtration barrier made of?
1) fenestra
2) Glomerular basement membrane
3) slit diaphragm