UNIT 9 - URINARY SYSTEM Flashcards
Kidney
Two bean shaped organs about the size of a fist located against the posterior back wall (right peritoneal) where the right kidney is lower than the left. It is covered by a fibrous capsule composed of dense irregular connective tissue
Renal fat pad
Shock absorbing layer of adipose layer that covers the capsule of kidney
Functions of the kidney (8)
- Maintaining ACID-base balance
- Maintaining WATER balance
- ELECTROLYTE balance
- TOXIN removal (urea, uric acid)
- BLOOD pressure control
- Making ERYTHROPOIETIN
- Vitamin D metabolism
- = A WET BED
Paired ureters
Transports urine from the kidneys to the bladder
Urinary bladder
Provides a temporary storage reservoir for urine (approx. 700-800mL)
Urethra
Transports urine from the bladder out of the body
Male urethra
Passes through the prostate gland located immediately inferior (below) bladder and also serves as the duct where semen is discharged
Female urethra
Short in length (4cm) which is the reason why many women get UTI’s
Layers of the kidney (3)
- Renal cortex
- Renal medulla
- Renal pelvis
Renal cortex
Outer layer of the kidney that filters blood
Renal medulla
Inner layer of the kidney that contains renal pyramids where urine formation takes place
Renal pelvis
Hollow portion in the middle of each kidney collect urine as its produced
Path of urine drainage (6)
- Collecting duct
- Minor calyx
- Major calyx
- Renal pelvis
- Ureter
- Urinary bladder
Collecting duct:
Consists of a series of tubules and ducts that connect nephrons to minor calyx or directly to renal pelvis
Blood supply of kidney
1/4 (1200mL) of systemic cardiac output flows through the kidneys each minute and the entire blood volume of the body is filtered by the kidneys 60 times a day
Pathway of blood through renal blood vessels (15)
- Aorta
- Renal artery
- Segmental artery
- Interlobar artery
- Arcuate artery
- Cortical radiate artery
- Afferent arteriole
- Glomerulus
- Efferent arteriole
- Peritubular capillaries
- Cortical radilate vein
- Arcuate vein
- Interlobar vein
- Renal vein
- Inferior vena cava
Nephron
Basic structural and functional unit of the kidney and consists of a million filtering units on the kidney; has a vascular & tubular component
Vascular components of nephron (5)
- Renal arteries & arterioles
- Afferent arteriole
- Glomerulus
- Efferent arteriole
- Peritubular capillary
Tubular components of nephron (5)
- Bowman’s capsule
- Proximal convoluted tubule
- Loop of Henle; descending limb & ascending limb
- Distal convoluted tubule
- Collecting ducts
3 basic systems in urine formation:
- Glomerular filtration
- Tubular reabsorption
- Tubular secretion
Glomerular filtration
Use of passive pressure to force fluids and solutes into Bowman’s capsule
Bowman’s capsule
Two walled pouch that covers the glomerulus and filters all blood components except blood cells and most proteins
Reasons why glomerular filtration is efficient (3)
- Filtration membrane is thin & very permeable
- Glomerular blood pressure is higher than that in Bowman’s capsule
- Glomerular capillaries present a large surface area
Tubular reabsorption
Process by which about 99% water and most solutes are removed from the tubular fluid and returned to blood stream (160L a day), can be active transport, facilitated, or simple diffusion based on size
Why is tubular reabsorption called reabsorption and not absorption
Because these substances have been absorbed previously, usually in the intestines
Tubular reabsorption breakdown (4)
- 65% reabsorption in proximal convoluted tubule
- 16% reabsorption in limb of Henle
- 10-15% reabsorption in distal convoluted tubule
- 5-9% in collecting duct
What is reabsorbed along the length of the nephron (generally) (6):
- Water
- Salts (Na+, CL-)
- Bicarbonate ion (HCO3-)
- Ions (Ca2+, K+)
- Urea 50%
- Glucose and amino acids (only in PCT)
What is reabsorbed along the length of the nephron (PCT) (5)
- Water
- Salt
- Bicarbonate ion
- Glucose
- Amino acids