Unit 10 Flashcards
What is the primary function of the urinary system?
To make, store, and excrete urine
Additionally, it maintains blood pH, electrolyte, and blood pressure levels.
What are the major regions of the kidney?
Renal cortex, renal columns, renal medulla
The renal medulla contains renal pyramids.
What is the role of the renal arteries?
Transport oxygenated blood to the kidneys
The right renal artery is slightly longer than the left.
What are the three major arteries that branch off the abdominal aorta?
Celiac trunk, superior mesenteric artery, inferior mesenteric artery
What does the celiac trunk supply blood to?
Digestive organs
Branches include common hepatic artery, splenic artery, and left gastric artery.
Which artery supplies the small intestines?
Superior mesenteric artery
What is the function of the suprarenal arteries?
Supply blood to the adrenal glands
Fill in the blank: The _______ is the capillary bed responsible for filtering blood in the kidney.
Glomerulus
What are the three major processes in urine formation?
Filtration, reabsorption, secretion
What is the path of blood circulation through the kidney?
Renal artery → Segmental arteries → Interlobar arteries → Arcuate arteries → Cortical radiate arteries → Afferent arterioles → Glomerulus → Efferent arterioles → Peritubular capillaries → Venules → Cortical radiate veins → Arcuate veins → Interlobar veins → Renal veins → Inferior vena cava
True or False: The kidneys are located in the retroperitoneal space.
True
What is the renal capsule?
A protective covering surrounding each kidney
What is the function of the ureters?
Transport urine from the kidneys to the urinary bladder
Identify the two types of nephrons.
Cortical nephron, juxtamedullary nephron
What are the components of the renal corpuscle?
Glomerulus, glomerular capsule
What is the role of the peritubular capillaries?
Gas exchange and reclamation of nutrients lost from filtration
What drains blood from the liver?
Hepatic veins
Fill in the blank: The _______ collects urine from the renal pyramids.
Minor calyx
What is the function of the renal pelvis?
Collects urine from major calyces before it moves to the ureters
List the veins that merge with the inferior vena cava.
Suprarenal veins, renal veins, gonadal veins
What anatomical feature prevents gas exchange in the glomerulus?
High blood pressure
What is the primary function of the internal urethral sphincter?
Control urine flow from the bladder
What distinguishes cortical nephrons from juxtamedullary nephrons?
Cortical nephrons are located primarily in the renal cortex, while juxtamedullary nephrons extend deeper into the medulla.
What are peritubular capillaries responsible for?
Gas exchange and reclaiming nutrients lost from filtration
Peritubular capillaries surround nephrons and play a critical role in nutrient reabsorption.
What is the sequence of veins that blood travels through after peritubular capillaries?
Blood flows from venules to cortical radiate veins, arcuate veins, interlobar veins, to renal veins into the inferior vena cava
This sequence is the reverse of that of the arteries.
What anatomical feature makes the left renal vein longer than the right renal vein?
The inferior vena cava is located more on the right side of the body.
This anatomical difference affects the lengths of the renal veins.
What are the four regions of a nephron?
- Glomerular capsule
- Proximal convoluted tubule
- Loop of Henle
- Distal convoluted tubule
These regions are essential for urine formation.
What is the primary function of the renal corpuscle?
To filter blood
The renal corpuscle consists of the glomerulus and glomerular capsule.
What does the glomerular capsule do?
Catches filtered molecules, forming filtrate
Filtrate contains electrolytes, water, glucose, and waste products.
What is the primary role of the proximal convoluted tubule?
Reabsorption of nutrients and water
Approximately 60% of water and 100% of glucose and amino acids are reabsorbed here.
What type of cells line the proximal convoluted tubule?
Simple cuboidal cells with microvilli
Microvilli increase surface area for nutrient reabsorption.
Fill in the blank: Tubular _______ is the process of selectively adding substances into the filtrate.
secretion
This process allows for the elimination of certain substances from the body.
What is the function of the descending limb of the loop of Henle?
Transports water out of the filtrate
This limb has a simple squamous epithelium that facilitates water movement.
What occurs in the ascending limb of the loop of Henle?
Sodium chloride moves out of filtrate
This limb does not allow water movement due to its cuboidal cells.
What hormone promotes calcium reabsorption in the distal convoluted tubule?
Parathyroid hormone
This hormone plays a crucial role in calcium homeostasis.
What is the role of the collecting ducts?
Fine tuning of urine before it exits the kidney
Collecting ducts are the last region in the kidney involved in urine formation.
What is the main function of the ureters?
Transport urine from the kidneys to the urinary bladder
Ureters have smooth muscle layers that aid in peristalsis.
What type of epithelium composes the walls of the urinary bladder?
Transitional epithelium
This type of epithelium allows for stretching as the bladder fills with urine.
What muscle contracts to release urine from the urinary bladder?
Detrusor muscle
The detrusor muscle contracts when the bladder is full.
Fill in the blank: The urethra releases urine to the outside of the _______.
body
The urethra also serves as a passageway for sperm in males.
What is the length of the female urethra?
About four centimeters (one and a half inches)
The shorter length makes females more prone to urinary tract infections.
What are the three regions of the male urethra?
- Prostatic urethra
- Membranous urethra
- Spongy urethra
These regions vary in length and surround different tissues.
What histological feature distinguishes the kidney from other organs?
Presence of renal corpuscles
Renal corpuscles consist of glomeruli and glomerular capsules.
What is the appearance of proximal convoluted tubules under a microscope?
Fuzzier appearance due to microvilli
The microvilli enhance reabsorption efficiency.
What type of epithelium is found in the ureters?
Transitional epithelium
This epithelium protects tissues from toxins and accommodates volume changes.
What happens to the appearance of the bladder when it is collapsed?
It has inner folds of rugae
These folds smooth out as the bladder fills with urine.
