Urinary System Flashcards
What are functions of the urine system?
It makes urine
It stabilizes blood pH
It prevents dehydration
It eliminates organic matter
Acts as a filter
It helps with blood pressure
What is the really bad thing that the urine system helps get rid of?
Nitrogenous wastes
What are the key organs of the Urinary system?
The kidneys
The Ureters
The Urinary bladder
The Urethra
What is the functional unit of the kidney?
A nephron
What sits on top of the kidneys?
The suprarenal/adrenal glands
What are the three layers of connective tissue to protect kidneys?
The Fibrous capsule
The Adipose capsule/Perinephric fat
The Renal fascia
What is the middle indentation of the kidney called?
The Hilum
What occurs at the Hilum?
The Renal arteries enter and the Renal veins and ureters exit
What are the three big sections of the Kidney (No Hilum)?
The Renal cortex
The Renal medulla
The Renal lobe
Name the Renal Arteries?
Segmental Arteries
Interlobar Arteries
Arcuate Arteries
Cortical radiate Arteries
What is the path of waste throughout the kidney?
It’s starts at the glomerular capsule(bowman’s capsule)
Then it’s travels through the PCT (Proximal convoluted tubule)
Then the nephron loop (loop of Henley)
Then through the DCT (Distal convoluted tubule)
Then through the collecting duct, the renal papilla, the minor and major calyx, the renal pelvis, and finally the ureter
What are the three steps of urine formation?
Filtration, reabsorption, and secretion
What’s special about the descending portion of the nephron loop?
Water leaves and enters the bloodstream
What are the capillaries surrounding the nephron loop called?
Vasa recta
What is special about the ascending portion of the nephron loop?
It pumps ions out preventing loss of water
What does the PCT do?
It absorbs organic nutrients ions and plasma proteins
It reabsorbs water into blood stream
What are capillaries in the PCT called?
Peritubular capillaries
What does the DCT do?
It selectively reabsorbs sodium and calcium ions
(Very little water absorption)
What does the collecting duct do?
It collects from the DCT (duh)
Makes final adjustments to urine that’s about to exit kidneys
What are the three cells in the juxtaglomerular complex?
Macula densa cells
Juxtaglomerular/ Granular cells
Mesangial cells
What does the Juxtaglomerular Complex produce?
Renin (involved in blood pressure regulation)
EPO (involved in erythrocyte production)
What do the entry and exit of ureters form in the bladder?
They form the Trigone
What are the three layers of the Ureters?
The inner mucosa
Middle muscular layer
Adventitious
What are the three layers of smooth muscle in the Urinary bladder called?
The detrusor muscle
What is the sphincter that holds the urinary bladder closed called?
The internal urethral sphincter
What is the average size of a female urethra? A males?
A female urethra is 3-5 cm in length while a males is 18-20
What are the three parts of the male urethra?
The prostatic, membranous, and spongy urethra
What is the urge to urinate called?
The micturition reflex
How does the urinary system change as we age?
There are fewer nephrons
Less glomerular filtration
Micturition problems
What are the two types of nephrons?
The Juxtamedullary nephron
The Cortical nephron
