Urinary System

Question 1

Kidneys main function

Answer 1

maintain blood/body water homeostasis by the production of urine

Question 2

How do kidneys monitor acid/base balance

Answer 2

excrete hydrogen ions during acidosis

excrete bicarbonate ions during alkalosis

Question 3

How do kidneys raise blood pressure

Answer 3

secrete renin and erythropoietin which accelerates red blood cell production

Question 4

What is the function of the ureters

Answer 4

conduct urine to the bladder where it is stored

Question 5

Where are the kidneys

Answer 5

posterior to the abdominal wall, high up, under the diaphragm.

Question 6

How are they enclosed

Answer 6

retroperitoneal (behing peritoneum)

encapsulated and protected by layers of fascia and fairly firm renal fat

Question 7

The medulla is made up of Renal pyramids, What are renal pyramids?

Answer 7

They house the nephrons with their function of filtration and reabsorption

Question 8

What do the pyramids consist of

Answer 8

mainly of tubules that transport urine from the outer part of the kidney where urine is produced
to the minor calyces (which converge on major calyces), or cup-shaped cavities in which urine collects before it passes through the ureter to the bladder.

Question 9

cortex

Answer 9

between capsule and medulla houses blood vessels and nephrons

Question 10

State the order of nephron structure

Answer 10

renal corpuscle (glomerulus) = network of blood supply
Proximal convoluted tubule 
loop of henle
Distal convoluted tubule 
Collecting duct

Question 11

Two types of nephron: Juxtamedullary

Answer 11

Receive ~ 10% renal supply
• Designed to concentrate urine
• Glomeruli in inner cortical regions; long nephron loops.
• Associated with vasa recta ie vascular structure.

Question 12

Superficial

Answer 12

• Receive ~ 90% renal supply
• Reabsorb large % of fluid that
filters from vasculature.
• Glomeruli in outer cortical regions; short nephron loops.

Question 13

Tell me about the position of the ureter

Answer 13

passes posterior to the ovary

passes lateral to cervix and vagina

Question 14

Tell me about the filling of the bladder

Answer 14

Walls are muscular
peristaltic waves propel urine down the ureter
bladder fills by relaxation of its muscular wall (detrusor muscle)

Question 15

tell me about the emptying of the bladder

Answer 15

muscular contraction, aided by raised inter abdominal pressure

Question 16

Tell me about the external sphincter

Answer 16

around urethra is striated and under voluntary control

Question 17

What does the kidney control

Answer 17

blood pressure
tissue osmolality
electrolyte levels

Question 18

What does the nephron comprise of

Answer 18

comprises a blood filtration part (glomerulus) and a filtrate recovery part (renal tubule)

Question 19

how is blood filtered

Answer 19

through a glomerular filtration barrier to separate plasma from cells and proteins

Question 20

What is the role of the proximal tubule

Answer 20

recovers 2/3 of fluid and up to 100% of solutes that are filtered into renal tubule by the glomerulus

Question 21

Tell me about PT epithelial cells

Answer 21

they have apical microvilli that increase surface area and junctions between cells and are leaky to maximise free flow of water and dissolved solutes

Question 22

What drives Na reabsorption in the PT

Answer 22

basolateral Na-K ATPase through cotransport with organic solutes and in exchange H+

Question 23

Where does Cl+ absorption occur

Answer 23

late Proximal tubule by paracellular route or by a Cl- base exchanger

Question 24

What drives water absorption

Answer 24

osmosis

influx of Na Cl and solutes

Question 25

Where is this fluid returned to

Answer 25

the vasculature via peritubular network

Question 26

What is bladder capacity

Answer 26

500ml

Question 27

What does a reflex cause

Answer 27

parasympathetic motor efferents to stimulate bladder contraction

Question 28

What prevents emptying of the bladder

Answer 28

CNS until peter sphincter is relaxed voluntarily

Question 29

What is micro nutrition

Answer 29

urinating