Urinary System Flashcards
General Functions of Urinary System
- Storage of urine
- Expulsion of urine
- Regulation of blood volume
– Via hormones - Regulation of erythrocyte #
– Via erythropoietin (EPO) - Regulation of ion levels
– sodium, potassium, calcium,
phosphate - Regulation of acid-base balance
– hydrogen and bicarbonate ions
Right kidney is slightly
lower than left due to the _______
liver
Renal hilum
Is the concave surface where vessels and nerves enter and exit
Tissue surrounding kidneys
Fibrous capsule
– Surface of kidney
– Dense regular CT
– Barrier to infection
Perinephric fat
– Adipose tissue
– Cushions kidney
Renal fascia
– Dense irregular CT
– Anchors kidney to posterior abdominal wall
Internal Kidney Anatomy
- Renal cortex
– Superficial region
– Contains nephrons - Renal medulla
– Deep to cortex
– Has renal pyramids
– Urine collecting tubes - Renal papilla
– Apex of renal pyramid - Minor calyx
– Collects urine from renal papilla - Major calyx
– Formed by fusion of several
minor calyces - Renal pelvis
– Continuous with ureter
– Walls have smooth muscle to
move urine
Renal artery (identify)
Delivers ¼ of total systemic blood to the kidneys/beat
Glomerulus
– Specialized for filtration
– Fed & drained by arteries
– Keeps capillary bed
pressure high
Peritubular capillaries
– Arise from efferent arterioles
– Empty into venules
– Typical capillaries (facilitate the
exchange of substances)
– Reclaim materials (such as
water, electrolytes, and nutrients)
Renal plexus
– Nerve supply to kidney
– Autonomic & sensory nerve fibers and ganglia
– Pain from kidneys is usually referred to dermatomes T10–T12
Order the blood flow through a nephron, beginning with the interlobular artery at the top of the list and ending at the interlobular vein.
- Interlobular artery
- Afferent arteriole
- Glomerulus
- Efferent arteriole
- Peritubular capillaries
- Interlobular vein
The right kidney is ______ to the left kidney.
inferior
The sympathetic axons innervate the ______ in the kidneys.
afferent arterioles
juxtaglomerular apparatuses
efferent arterioles
The proximal convoluted tubule, nephron loop, and distal convoluted tubule are collectively known as the renal
tubule
Renal corpuscle
- Glomerulus
- Bowman’s (Glomerular) capsule
Renal corpuscle
– Glomerulus + Bowman’s capsule
* Glomerulus
– Tuft of capillaries associated with renal tubule
* Bowman’s (Glomerular) capsule
– Blind, enlarged, cup-shaped structure
– Surrounds glomerulus
Granular cells
- Macula densa
- Extraglomerular mesangial cells
Granular cells
– Modified smooth muscle
cells in granules containing
renin
- Macula densa
– Monitor solute
concentration in the filtrate
– Signal granular cells to
secrete renin - Extraglomerular
mesangial cells
– Regulate blood flow within
the glomerulus
– Phagocytize filtered
particles
