Unit 7 - Urinary System Flashcards
functions of kidneys
- clear blood of metabolic waste products
- regulate fluid and electrolyte balance
- produce renal erythropoietic factor and renin
- hydroxylate vit D to active calcitriol
kidney location
retroperitoneally on posterior wall of abdominal cavity on either side of vertebral column
kidney hilus
concave medial border w/ ureter, nerves, blood, and lymphatic vessels
renal sinus
large cavity surrounded by kidney parenchyma
-contains renal pelvis, loose CT, adipose, blood vessels, and nerves
renal pelvis
expansion of upper end of ureter that subdivides into minor and major calyces
kidney capsule
consists of dense irregular cT
renal cortex
darker, granular tissue
- broad outer zone
- inward extensions (renal columns of Bertin)
minor VS major calyces
major: arise from renal pelvis
minor: arise from major
renal medulla
lighter, striated tissue
-made of renal pyramids and medullary rays
renal pyramids
in medulla
- apices (renal papillae) project into minor calyces
- tip is perforated by openings of collecting ducts (area cribosa)
- each pyramid together with its surrounding cortical tissue constitutes a renal lobe
renal lobe
renal pyramid + cortical tissue overlying its base and covering its sides
-each kidney contains 6 to 18 lobes
medullary rays
medullary tissue that projects up into cortex, consisting of collecting tubules and their accompanying proximal and distal tubules
-do NOT include renal corpuscles
renal lobule
medullary ray + surrounding cortical tissue
nephrons
functional unit of kidney
- first part (Bowman’s capsule to distal tubule) forms urine
- second part (collecting system) carries out final concentration of urinary solutes
components of nephron
- Bowman’s capsule
- Proximal convoluted tubule
- Loop of Henle
- Distal convoluted tubule
- Collecting tubules
- Collecting ducts
Bowman’s capsule components
thin-walled expansion at proximal end of nephron
- deeply indented by glomerulus
- visceral layer = podocytes and covers glomerular capillaries
- parietal layer = simple squamous epithelium
- urinary (capsular) space between both layers gets glomerular filtrate
- glomerular filtration barrier
- vascular pole = afferent arteriole enters, efferent arteriole leaves
- urinary pole = proximal tubule begins
components of glomerular filtration barrier
in Bowman’s capsule
- capillary endothelium (fenestrated, w/o diaphragms)
- shared basement membrane (endothelium + podocytes)
- filtration slits between secondary processes of podoccytes
- produces glomerular filtrate (similar to blood, except little protein)
what is proteinuria caused by?
release of protein into urine due to defect in glomerular filtration barrier (usually doesn’t let PRO in)
where is urinary space continuous with proximal tubule lumen?
at urinary pole of Bowman’s capsule
proximal tubule composition
convoluted (close to renal corpuscle of origin) and straight part (enters medullary ray)
- lined by simple cuboidal epithelium with brush border
- eosinophilic cytoplasm
- extensive lateral extensions (cell boundaries indistinct b/c large cells)
- lumen has fine precipitated material
how many segments can the proximal tubule be subdivided into by electron microscopy?
can be subdivided into 3 segments by electron microscopy
loop of Henle composition
descending straight proximal (simple cuboidal epithelium with brush border, like convoluted), thin segment (simple squamous, like capillary w/o blood), and ascending straight distal
-located in medulla