Chapter 7: Urinary System Flashcards
calyx or calix (plural: calyces or calices)
Cup-like collecting region of the renal pelvis.
arteriole
Small artery.
catheter
Tube for injecting or removing fluids.
cortex
Outer region of an organ.
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 in the kidney.
kidney
One of two bean-shaped organs on either side of the backbone in the lumbar region; filters nitrogenous wastes from the bloodstream to form urine.
meatus
Opening or canal.
medulla
Inner region of an organ.
medullary cavity in long bones
The innermost part containing red and yellow marrow.
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 (K+)
Electrolyte regulated by the kidney so that proper concentration is maintained in the blood.
reabsorption
Process whereby renal tubules return materials necessary to the body back into 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 towards the heart.
renin
Hormone secreted by the kidney; raises blood pressure by influencing narrowing of blood vessels.
sodium (Na+)
Electrolyte regulated in the blood and urine by the kidneys.
trigone
Triangular area in the urinary bladder.
