Vocabulary (Chapter 7) Flashcards
arteriole
small artery
calciferol
Active form of vitamin D, secreted by the kidney
calyx or calix (plural: calyces or calices)
Cup-like collecting region of the renal pelvis. The term comes from Greek, kalux meaning a cup or case surrounding a flower bud.
catheter
Tube for injecting or removing fluids
creatinine
Nitrogenous waste excreted in urine. Creatinine clearance is a measure of the efficiency of the kidneys in removing (clearing) creatinine from the blood. Creatinine is a product of muscle metabolism.
electrolyte
Chemical element that carries an electrical charge when dissolved in water.
erythropoietin (EPO)
Hormone secreted by the kidney to stimulate the production of red blood cells by bone marrow.
filtration
Process whereby some substances, but not all, pass through a filter.
glomerular capsule
Enclosing structure surrounding each glomerulus.
glomerulus (plural: glomeruli)
Tiny ball of capillaries (microscopic blood vessels) in the kidney.
hilum
Depression in an organ where blood vessels and nerves enter nad leave.
kidney
One of two bean-shaped organs on either side of the backbone in the lumbar region; it filters nitrogenous wastes from the bloodstream to form urine.
meatus
opening or canal.
medulla
Inner region of an organ.
nephron
Combination of glomerulus and renal tubule where filtration, reabsorption, and secretion take place in the kidney.
nitrogenous waste
Substance containing nitrogen and excreted in urine.
potassium
Electrolyte regulated by the kidney so that a proper concentration is maintained within the blood.
reabsorption
Process whereby renal tubules return materials necessary to the bloodstream.
renal artery
Blood vessel that carries blood to the kidney
renal pelvis
Central collecting region in the kidney
renal tubule
Microscopic tube in the kidney where urine is formed after filtration.
renal vein
Blood vessel that carries blood away from the kidney and toward the heart.
renin
Hormone secreted by the kidney; it raises blood pressure by influencing vasoconstriction
sodium
Electrolyte regulated in the blood and urine by the kidneys; needed for proper transmission of nerve impulses, heart activity, and other metabolic functions.
trigone
Triangular area in the urinary bladder
urea
Major nitrogenous waste excreted in urine
ureter
One of two tubes leading from the kidneys to the urinary bladder
urethra
Tube leading from the urinary bladder to the outside of the body
uric acid
Nitrogenous waste excreted the urine
urinary bladder
Hollow, muscular sac that holds and stores urine
urination (voiding)
Process of expelling urine; also called micturition.
