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Anatomy and Physiology. > The Renal System > Flashcards

The Renal System Flashcards

1
Q

What does the renal system consist of?

A

Kidneys, ureters, bladder and the urethra

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2
Q

Where are the kidneys located?

A

Located either side of the spine just below the ribcage

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3
Q

What is the function of the kidneys?

A
  • Filter blood to remove waste and excess water to make urine
  • Maintain BP
  • Make red blood cells
  • Maintain strong & healthy bones
  • Maintaining Water balance of the blood
  • Maintaining Electrolyte balance of the blood
  • Ensuring proper blood pH
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4
Q

The kidneys 2 main structures

A
  • Outer renal cortex
  • Inner renal medulla
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5
Q

What does the outer renal cortex do?

A

The renal capsule surrounds the outer cortex and provides space for the glomerulus’s renal artery, veins, and capillaries

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6
Q

What does the inner renal medulla do?

A

Smooth part within the kidneys that houses the renal pyramids and Loop of Henle. Each kidney has over a million functional units called nephrons which do the filtering.

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7
Q

What is the ureter?

A

A thin muscular tube that helps in pushing the urine to the urinary bladder. It’s function is to connect each kidney to the renal pelvis.

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8
Q

What is the urinary bladder?

A

A muscular organ that stores the urine until it can be passed. A muscular tissue lines it which contracts to squeeze urine out of urethra.

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9
Q

What is micturition?

A

Process by which bladder holds urine at full capacity and discharges it.

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10
Q

What is the urethra?

A

A muscular tube that starts from opening the urinary bladder and runs through the pelvic region to open outside of the body.

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11
Q

What is the function of the urethra?

A

Work in tandem with the urinary bladder to squeeze urine out of the body by relaxing the sphincter

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12
Q

What is inside the nephron?

A
  • Glomerulus (filter)
  • The tubule (returns to blood and removes waste)
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13
Q

What is the process of the kidneys working?

A
  1. After the body uses food for energy and self-repair, the waste is sent to the blood
  2. The kidneys act as filters, ridding the body of waste, drugs and toxic substances, and returning vitamins, amino acids, glucose, hormones and etc into the bloodstream
  3. The fluid that is filtered is then adjusted by a complex series of urine-disposing tubes called tubules
  4. The substances necessary for the good functioning of the body are retained, and those that are not needed are excreted
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14
Q

What are the 3 stages of creating urine?

A
  1. Glomerular Filtration
  2. Tubular reabsorption
  3. Tubular Secretion
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15
Q

What happens during Glomerular Filtration?

A

Blood vessels visit the kidney and enter a special ball of capillaries called the glomerulus. This is where filtration occurs. As blood is pushed through the tiny capillaries, the high-pressure forces some things to pass through the capillary walls. The walls act as a sieve or a filter.

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16
Q

What happens during Tubular reabsorption?

A

The filtrate enters the kidney in the tubule. Many things removed which are either reabsorbed by body or removed in urine
Glucose, certain salts, vitamins, hormones, and amino acids are restored to the body and will not be included in urine.

17
Q

What is a filtrate?

A

Substance that enters kidneys: Water, sugar, salts, amino acids, nitrogenous wastes,

18
Q

What happens during the Tubular Secretion?

A

The filtrate passes through the loop of henle where it gains and loses water & salt. As it leaves, it enters the distal tuble where secretion occurs.

19
Q

How does the body remove toxins through secretion?

A

They do not go through filtration or absorption but are secreted straight from the blood vessel into almost fully formed urine in the distal tubule.

20
Q

What is the Glomerulus

A

Capillaries which filter blood

21
Q

What is the loop of henle?

A

Recover water, ions and etc into blood stream

22
Q

What is the tubule?

A

Removes waste products
(returns nutrients, fluids, and other substances that have been filtered from the blood, but the body needs, back to the blood. The remaining fluid and waste in the renal tubules become urine.

23
Q

What is extracellular fluid?

A

Body fluid that is not contained in cells

24
Q

Kidneys and fluid balance

A

Receive and act on messages depending on how much is drank.
If body is hydrated, 80% of ingested fluid excreted within the hour.

25
Q

What impact does sodium have on the kidneys?

A

If excess of sodium in blood, person will get thirsty and drink more.
Too much sodium over time can damage kidneys and raise blood pressure

26
Q

Renal arteries: definition and function

A

Large blood vessels that carry blood from your heart to your kidneys. Part of the circulatory system, they carry large amounts of blood from the aorta to the kidneys.

27
Q

Renal vein: definition and function

A

The main blood vessel that carries blood from the kidney and ureter to the inferior vena cava . There is a renal vein for each kidney.

28
Q

Lymphatic Vessels in the kidney

A

The kidney contains a network of lymphatic vessels that clear fluid, small molecules, and cells from the renal interstitium.

29
Q

What is Renin?

A

An enzyme that helps control your blood pressure and maintain healthy levels of sodium and potassium in your body. Made by special cells in your kidneys, renin is released into your bloodstream when your blood pressure drops too low.

30
Q

What is Erythropoietin?

A

Erythropoietin (EPO) is a hormone that is produced predominantly by specialised cells called interstitial cells in the kidney. Once it is made, it acts on red blood cells to protect them against destruction. At the same time it stimulates stem cells of the bone marrow to increase the production of red blood cells.

31
Q

What role do the kidneys have in the production of vitamin D?

A

Healthy kidneys are rich with vitamin D receptors and play a major role in turning vitamin D into its active form. This helps balance calcium and phosphorus in your body by controlling absorption of these minerals from the food you eat and regulates parathyroid hormone (PTH).

32
Q

What is the function of Anti-Diuretic Hormone?

A

Chemical produced in the brain that causes the kidneys to release less water, decreasing the amount of urine produced. A high ADH level causes the body to produce less urine. A low level results in greater urine production.

33
Q

What is Urea?

A

A nitrogen-based waste created by cell metabolism. Urea is synthesized in the liver and transported through the blood to the kidneys for removal.

34
Q

What is angiotensin?

A

A protein which constricts blood vessels, and signals for the body to retain sodium and water. This happens when blood pressure drops and the kidney needs to the pressure to function.

35
Q

Causes of kidney disease

A
  • Diabetes
  • High blood pressure
  • High cholesterol
  • Kidney infections
36
Q

What is osmotic balance?

A

Ensures that optimal concentrations of electrolytes and non-electrolytes are maintained in cells, body tissues, and in interstitial fluid.

37
Q

What is the Bowmans capsule?

A

Part of the nephron that forms a cup-like sack surrounding the glomerulus. Where fluid becomes filtrate.

38
Q

What is the nephron?

A

Filtering unit inside kidney

Anatomy and Physiology. (11 decks)

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