Nephrology Flashcards
(111 cards)
What are the two sets of capillary beds within kidneys?
Glomerular - high pressure, filtration
Peritubular - low hydrostatic pressure, fluid resorption
Renal artery 🡪 branches into interlobar arteries 🡪 arcuate arteries 🡪 interlobular arteries 🡪 afferent arterioles (approaching) 🡪 glomerular capillaries 🡪 efferent arterioles (exiting) 🡪 peritubular capillaries
What is the physiological function of renin?
produced by the the juxta glomerular cells of the kidney
Converts angiotensinogen to angiotensin 1
Stimulus for release - baroreceptors of afferent arteriole, decreased NaCl in distal tubule detected by macula densa
In which organ is ACE produced?
The lungs
Converts angiotension 1 to angiotension 2
What are the physiological effects of angiotensin II?
Systemic – vasoconstriction (increase MAP)
Thirst
Posterior pituitary ADH release – promotes water reabsorption
Adrenal aldosterone secretion – sodium and water retention in DCT/CD
Renal
Construction of efferent > afferent arterioles – increases GFR
In higher doses – afferent and efferent constriction
Strongly promote NaCl and water reabsorption in PCT
What are the physiological effects of aldosterone?
Secreted by zona glomerulosa of the adrenal cortex
Acts on the principal cells of cortical collecting tubule
Stimulates Na/K/ATPase pump on basolateral side of cortical collecting tubule AND increases sodium permeability on luminal side of the membrane (activates ENAC)
Stimulated = ↑ extracellular potassium levels, AngII
Net effects = retention of sodium, secretion of K+ and H+
What is the primary defect in Alport’s disease?
Abnormal type 4 collagen - impaired glomerular basement membrane
Associated with haematuria (initially) followed by proteinuria and CKD, in addition to hearing loss and eye abnormalities
Which of the following is NOT part of the filtrate in the nephron?
a. sodium
b. potassium
c. magnesium
d. calcium
d calcium
Calcium and free fatty acids not filtered as they are bound to plasma proteins
Define GFR
Total volume of plasma leaving the glomerular capillaries and entering Bowman’s capsule
Where are the juxtaglomerular cells located?
Sm ms cells in the afferent areriole
If decreased BP, will relax + release rennin
Where are the cells of the macula densa located?
Distal convoluted tubule, sense NaCl levels
What is absorbed in the proximal convoluted tubule?
Reabsorption of 65% of filtered Na+/K+/Ca2+/Mg2+
Reabsorption of 85% NaHCO3
Reabsorption of 100% of glucose and amino acids
Isosmotic reabsorption of H2O
What is absorbed in the thin descending loop of Henle?
Water passively resorbed through aquaporins
What is absorbed at the thick ascending loop of Henle?
Active reabsorption of 15-25% of filtered Na+/K+/Cl-
Secondary resorption of Ca2+ and Mg2
Loop diuretics, low K
What is absorbed at the DCT?
Active reabsorption of 4-8% of filtered Na+ and Cl-
Ca2+ reabsorption under PTH control
Thiazide diuretics
What is resorbed in the cortical collecting duct?
Na+ reabsorption (2-5%) coupled to K+ and H+ secretion
What is resorbed in the medullary collecting duct?qq
Water resorption under ADH control
True or false?
The nephron primarily regulates acid base through the secretion of bicarbonate and the resorption of H+
False
Basic principles
Two mechanisms of acid base control = resorption of bicarbonate + secretion of H+
Hydrogen ion secretion from tubule cells into the lumen is the key in reabsorption of HCO3- and the formation of a titratable acid (H+ bound to buffers such as HPO42-) and ammonium ions (NH4+)
Because loss of filtered HCO3- is the equivalent to addition of H+ to the body, all filtered bicarbonate should be absorbed before dietary H+ should be excreted
Resorption of HCO3- much more important than secretion of H+
In alkalosis 🡪 kidneys resorb less HCO3-
In acidosis 🡪 kidneys secrete additional H+ and do not excrete HCO3-
This occurs at all parts of the tubule except the ascending thin limb of the loop of Henle
At what age to children achieve an adult GFR (approx 120 ml/min)?
2 years
Which of the following is the most precise way of calculating GFR?
a. inulin clearance study
b. DTPA
c. EDTA
d. Schwartz method
Answer = A
GFR = the volume of a substance that can be cleared from plasma per unit time
OR
the volume presented to the nephrons during urine formation, typically in ml per minute
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6198668/ - covers much of the material above, doesn’t go into detail regarding nuclear medicine techniques
https://tech.snmjournals.org/content/41/2/67 - this article is about nuclear medicine techniques for estimating GFR
Two main types:
Cr labelled EDTA
Tc labelled DTPA
Both considered reliable when estimating GFRs >30 ml/min
Complicated equations are then derived from multiple plasma samples - see link for further details
You are seeing a 9 year old patient with haematuria and a recent URTI. Which of the following features would make IgA nephropathy MORE LIKELY than acute post streptococcal nephritis?
a. Onset of haematuria 8-14 days after URTI
b. hypertension
c. biochemical evidence of streptococcal infection
d. normal C3
A = d, normal C3
What proportion of children with IgA nephropathy experience ESRD?
20-30%, takes till 15-20 years from disease onset
Which of the following DOES NOT make Alport syndrome more likely?
a. male patient
b. microscopic haematuria becoming macroscopic with URTIs
c. anterior lenticonus
d. sensorineural hearing loss present from birth
d. = sensorineural hearing loss present from birth
Never congenital
Develops in the higher frequency hearing range then progressively worsens
Alport = defect in alpha chain of collagen type 4
COL4A1-6
Most commonly X-linked gene of COLA4 (85%)
Which is the most common mode of inheritance for Alport’s disease?
X-linked
COLA5 (alpha chain of type 4 collagen)
What is the most common presenting feature of Alport’s disease?
All patients have microscopic haematuria