Kidneys Flashcards
How big are your kidneys?
About the size of your fists.
How many litres of blood do your kidneys filter in one day?
200 litre
What are functions of healthy kidneys?
~removing waste substances like urea from the blood
~regulating salt (ions) and water balance in the body
What does urine contain?
Water, urea, sodium and chloride ions
What are the causes of kidney disease?
Birth defects, genetic disease, high blood pressure and diabetes
Why will a person with kidney failure die unless he or she is treated?
Because urea levels will increase in the body
Because the levels of sodium and chloride ions in the blood increase
What are the 2 main ways of treating kidney failure?
Regular dialysis of the blood, getting a kidney transplant
Where is urine stored
The bladder
What tube does the urine pass through
The ureter
What happens if there is too much water in the blood?
It is detected by receptors in the hypothalamus>pituitary releases less ADH>renal tubule reabsorbs less water>large volumes of dilute urine produced>blood concentration returns to normal
What happens if there is too little water in the blood?
Detected by receptors in the hypothalamus>pituitary releases more ADH>renal tubule reabsorbs more water>large volumes of concentrated urine produced>blood concentration returns to normal
Advantages to having a transplant
Permanent solution if it doesn’t reject, no more dialysis, normal diet, normal extended life
Disadvantages to transplant
Have to take immunosuppressant medication for the rest of your life, it could be rejected, you need to go for regular check-ups, long waiting time so may not even feta transplant, risk in surgery
Osmoregulation
Controlling the water levels in your blood
Osmoreceptors
The receptors in the hypothalamus that detect the changes in water levels
