Physiology

Question 1

What is the nephron?

Answer 1

The functional unit of the kidney

Question 2

Which arterioles take the blood to and from the glomerulus?

Answer 2

Afferent takes it towards

Efferent takes it away

Question 3

What happens once it has gone through the glomerulus?

Answer 3

Goes through the tubules then to minor calyx, major calyx, renal pelvis and ureter

Question 4

What comes off the efferent arteriole?

Answer 4

Blood vessels that then run along side the tubules called intertubular capillaries

Question 5

What are the layers of the filtration system?

Answer 5

Vascular endothelium
Glomerular basement membrane
Podocytes

Question 6

What is the space in a glomerulus called?

Answer 6

Bowman’s space

Question 7

What cells are on the tubular side of the filtration, and not part of the filter?

Answer 7

Mesangial cells

Question 8

How long are kidneys?

Answer 8

8-9cm

Question 9

Which kidney is lower?

Answer 9

Right due to liver pushing it down

Question 10

Where are the nephrons in a medulla?

Answer 10

Cortex

Question 11

How big is the cortex?

Answer 11

1cm

Can become thinner in CKD

Question 12

How is the medulla organised?

Answer 12

In pyramids separated by renal columns

Question 13

How many nephrons in a kidney?

Answer 13

1,000,000

Question 14

What are the two types of nephrons?

Answer 14

Cortical - lay mainly in cortex

Juxtamedullary - closer to medullar with long loop in medulla

Question 15

What are the parts of the nephron?

Answer 15

Corpuscle
Tubular
Vascular

Question 16

What are the parts of the tubule?

Answer 16

Proximal convoluted tubule
LoH
Distal convoluted tubule
Collecting duct

Question 17

What is the point of the mesangial cells?

Answer 17

Help to regulate filtration by contracting to reduce surface area of filtration

Question 18

What are the macula densa cells?

Answer 18

They are in the distal tubule, coming into contact with afferent arteriole in the juxtaglomerular apparatus

Question 19

Which cells release renin?

Answer 19

Granular cells in juxtaglomerular apparatus in the efferent arteriole

Question 20

What are the two cell types of the collecting duct?

Answer 20

Principal cells

Intercalated

Question 21

What do principal cells kinda control and why?

Answer 21

Na/K ATPase

Important in K secretions

Question 22

What do intercalated cells do?

Answer 22

They have the acid/base balance responsibility

Question 23

What are the functions of the kidney?

Answer 23

Salt and water homeostasis
Acid/base balance
Endocrine (EPO)
BP regulation
Waste products (urea and ammonium)
Activate vitamin D