Urinary system Flashcards
Aidan
What are the roles of the urinary system?
1) Urine excretion.
2) Endocrine organ.
3) Homeostatic role controlling blood pressure, tissue osmolarity, electrolyte & water balance and plasma pH.
How do the kidneys maintain body/blood homeostasis?
Via production of urine, this allows the removal of excess water/electrolytes/toxic and metabolic waste products such as urea or creatinine.
How do kidneys affect the acid/base balance?
They monitor it and affect it by excreting hydrogen ions during acidosis or bicarbonate ions during alkalosis.
What can kidneys do to alter blood pressure?
They secrete renin which (indirectly) raises blood pressure.
What can kidneys do to affect RBC production?
Secrete erythropoietin (EPO), which accelerates RBC production.
What is the function of ureters?
Conducting urine to the bladder where it is stored.
What is the urethra for?
The passage of urine out of the body.
Describe the position of the kidneys in the body.
Kidneys lie, one on either side, on the posterior abdominal wall, high up, under the diaphragm. (retroperitoneal).
What kind of tissues encapsulate the kidneys?
They are surrounded and protected by layers of fascia and (fairly firm) renal fat.
What are the cortex and medulla of the kidneys?
Cortex- outer layer, extends between the medullary pyramids.
Medulla- Inner layer, pyramid shaped.
Describe the structure of the kidney and how it changes from the minor calyces to the hilum.
Minor calyces converge on major calyces, which themselves form the renal pelvis at the hilum of the kidney.
What does the pelvis of the kidney lead to?
It leads to/becomes the ureter that transports urine to the bladder.
What is the functional unit within the kidney?
The nephron.
What are the five parts of the nephron?
1) Renal corpscle (glomerulus).
2) Proximal convoluted tubule (PCT).
3) Loop of henle`.
4) Distal convoluted tubule (DCT).
5) Collecting duct.
What occurs in the nephron?
Urine is produced.
