Urinary System Flashcards
What are metabolic waste problems?
potentially harmful substances to the body
-must be eliminated
ex: CO2, H2O, bile salts, nitrogenous waste
What is the urinary system?
single most important route for removal of waste products
*removes nearly all soluble waste from blood
-transports soluble waste out of body
-eliminates excess water
Parts of urinary system
-kidneys (2)
-ureters (2)
-urinary bladder
-urethra
Functions of Kidney
production of urine to facilitate elimination of metabolic waste materials
Kidneys help maintain homeostasis through:
-blood filtration: reabsorption, secretion
-fluid balance regulation
-acid base balance regulation
-production of hormones
-blood pressure regulation
Kidney location
-located in dorsal abdominal area
-near lumbar vertebrae
retroperitoneal to the abdominal cavity
-surrounded by layer of perirenal fat
-right kidney more cranial than left (except pigs)
Gross anatomy of Kidney
-bean shaped in most
*covered by fibrous c.t. capsule
-hilus: indented area on medial side
Nephron
basic functional unit
-numbers varies with size of animal
Nephron is composed of:
- renal corpuscle
- proximal convoluted tubule
- loop of Henle
- distal convoluted tubule
Renal corpuscle
-located in renal cortex
-made up of glomerulus
-surrounded by Bowman’s capsule
-filters blood in first stage of urine production: glomerular filtrate
Proximal Convoluted Tubule
-continuation of capsular space of Bowman’s capsule
-longest part of nephron
*reabsorption and secretion functions
-glomerular filtrate now called tubular filtrate
Loop of Henle
-continues from PCT, descends in medulla, makes U turn then heads back into cortex
-descending wall is thinner, ascending wall becomes thicker again
-resorb water, Na+, Cl-
Distal convoluted tubule
-continuation of ascending loop of Henle
-all nephrons empty into collecting ducts
(renal pelvis)
Collecting ducts
primary site of ADH action and regulation of potassium and acid-base balance
Nerve supply to Kidneys
-sympathetic portion of autonomic ns
-not essential for function
-sympathetic stimulation causes vasoconstriction or renal vessels= *temporarily decreases urine function