Urinary System Flashcards
what is the function of the urinary system?
-to excrete water and waste from the body and maintains the balance of water and salt in the blood
-also maintains blood pressure, filters food, and produced the active form of vitamin D
what is electrolyte balance?
the balance of water and salt in the blood
what is the genitourinary system?
the reproductive system and the urinary system
what are the kidneys function?
-filter waste from the blood
-maintain the electrolyte balance in the blood
-regulate blood volume, pressure, and pH
-as an endocrine organ
what is a sphincter?
any circular muscle that controls movement of substances through passageways
what important hormone do kidneys release?
renin
what is renin?
a hormone which regulates blood pressure by retaining or removing salt and water
how is a kidney divided?
the renal cortex, outermost layer
renal medulla, inner layer
what is the functional unit of the kidney?
nephron
what is the nephron?
a series of looping tubes that filter the blood and reabsorb nutrients. the resulting waste is urea (a byproduct of protein catabolism) and uric acid (a byproduct of nuclei acid)
what is urea?
it is a byproduct of protein catabolism
what is uric acid?
a byproduct of nuclei acid
what is urine?
urea and uric acid excreted from the body
what is a glomerulus?
a network of capillaries where where filtration begins in and is located in the renal cortex of each kidney
what is the outermost layer of the kidney?
what is the inner layer of the kidney?
-renal cortex
-renal medulla
where are the collecting ducts located?
-what happens here?
-located in the renal medulla
-the waste comes from from the glomerulus is funneled into here
from the collecting ducts, what passes through what?
urine passes through the renal pelvis
after urine reaches the renal pelvis, where does it go?
through two long tubes called the ureters then into the urinary bladder and exists through the urethra
how much liquid can the bladder hold?
up to 1 liter
do males or females have longer urethras?
males have a much longer one than males
the sequence of urine:
-filtration in glomerulus in renal cortex
-funneled into collecting ducts in renal medulla
-passes through renal pelvis
-goes to ureters
-ureters drain into bladder
-urine exists bladder through urethra
what is a UTI?
urinary tract infection
-occurs when bacteria infects the kidneys, bladder, or urethra
pyelonephritis
infection of the kidneys
why do people need dialysis?
because they have chronic kidney disease. a machine performs the tasks of the kidneys and removes the waste from the blood
what are renal calculi?
kidney stones
the average length in a female urethra is
1 to 1.5 inches
the renal cortex contains?
renal pyramids and blood vessels
what are renal pyramids and where are they located
they are strings of nephrons and tubules which transport fluid into the kidney. located in renal cortex
within the renal cortex, this hormone is stimulated because?
erythropoietin is stimulated for the production of new RBC
the renal tubule is responsible for?
-what are the three parts to it?
-reabsorption and secretion of fluids, remaining fluid is urine
-proximal convoluted tubule (PCT): contain mitochondria on walls which makes ATP which pulls sodium ions from filtrate and reabsorbs good stuff from filtrate back into the blood
-Loop of Henle: pumps out salts through ascending limbs
-distal convoluted tubule (DCT)
what brings in blood to the nephrons?
renal arteries
what transports blood out of the glomerulus?
efferent arteriole
what are erythropoietin?
-hormone that stimulates the production of RBCs and is found in the renal cortex (outerlayer of kidneys)
the renal medulla is where?
concentration of urine is regulated
the renal artery allows?
-renal veins allows?
-oxygenated blood to enter the kidneys
-deoxygenated blood to leave the kidneys
protein metabolism results in?
-blood full of waste entering the kidneys
the nephron capillary connects to ?
the renal artery
filtrate includes?
water, urea, glucose, salt
how do the kidneys effect blood pressure?
by secreting hormones that cause blood vessels to dilate or constrict and by controlling the volume of the blood
