The Kidney

Question 1

Structure of the nephron

Answer 1

-Bowman’s capsule
-Proximal convoluted tubule
-Loop of Henle
-Distal convoluted tubule
-Collecting duct

Question 2

Anatomy of the Kidney

Answer 2

-Renal artery
-Renal vein
-Ureter
-Medulla
-Cortex
-Renal Pelvis

Question 3

Nephrons

Answer 3

-make up from millions of small structures
-filtering units

Question 4

Ureters

Answer 4

Urine passes out of kidneys down these tubes

Question 5

Cortex

Answer 5

-Dark outer layer
-Filtering of blood takes place
-Very dense capillary network carrying blood from renal artery to the nephrons

Question 6

Medulla

Answer 6

-Lighter in colour
-Contains tubules of nephrons that form the pyramids of the kidney and collecting ducts

Question 7

Pelvis

Answer 7

-Central chamber where urine collects before passing out down ureter

Question 8

Bowman’s capsule

Answer 8

-Cup-shaped structure
-Contains glomerulus (tangle of capillaries)
-More blood goes into than leaves due to ultrafiltration taking place

Question 9

Proximal convoluted tubule

Answer 9

-First, coiled region of tubule after Bowman’s capsule
-In cortex
-Where many of substances needed by body reabsorbed into blood

Question 10

Loop of Henle

Answer 10

-Creates region with very high solute concentration in the tissue fluid deep in the kidney medulla
-Descending loop runs down from cortex through the medulla to a hairpin bend at the bottom of the loop
-Ascending limb travels back up through the medulla to the cortex

Question 11

Distal convoluted tubule

Answer 11

-2nd twisted tubule where the fine-tuning of water balance of the body takes place
-permeability of walls to water varies in response to levels of ADH in blood
-further regulation of ion balance and pH of blood also takes place in this tubule

Question 12

Collecting duct

Answer 12

-urine passes down collecting duct through medulla to pelvis
-+ fine-tuning of water balance takes place-the walls of this part of the tubule are also sensitive to ADH