Renal Flashcards
(197 cards)
Functional unit of the kidney
Nephron, each kidney has roughly 1x10^6 nephrons
Types of nephron and their location
Cortical (85%), majority in cortex
Juxtamedullary (15%), majority in medulla
5 distinct regions of the nephron
Bowman’s capsule
Proximal convoluted tubule
Loop of henle
Distal convoluted tubule
Collecting duct
Structures that make up the renal corpuscle
Bowman’s capsule
Glomerular capillaries
Juxtaglomerular apparatus and its functions
Distal convoluted tubule and glomerular afferent arteriole
Autoregulation, renin release (salt water balance)
Functions of nephron
Renal corpuscle filters initial blood to form filtrate / ultrafiltrate / tubular fluid
Tubular system (cortical and medullary) controls concentration and content of urine
Blood supply to the nephron
Glomerular capillary bed (within bowman’s capsule)
Peritubular capillary bed (wraps around remainder of nephron)
Functions of the blood supply to the nephrons
Glomerular - high hydrostatic pressure (60mmHg) for filtration
Peritubular - low pressure (20 mmHg) for reabsorption and secretion
Outline vasa recta
Peritubular capillaries wrap around loop of henle and provide O2 and nutrients to innermost regions of medulla
Cardiac output to the kidneys
25%,
Important role in cleaning blood and homeostasis
Outline the filtration fraction
20% of plasma that enters glomerular capillaries is filtered, 19% reabsorbed, 1% excreted externally
Remaining 80% leaves via efferent arteriole and is returned by Peritubular capillaries to systemic circulation
Define glomerular filtration rate
Volume of fluid entering bowman’s capsule per unit time
Outline process of ultrafiltrate formation
Fluid driven from capillaries into bowman’s capsule, across glomerular filter by capillary hydrostatic pressure
Efferent arterioles smaller than afferent, maintaining pressure
Structure of glomerular filter
Glomerular capillaries separated from podocytes by basement membrane
Mesangial cells provide structural support and are contractile
Characteristics of the glomerular capillary membrane
Endothelium- very charged glycoproteins repel anionic proteins
Podocytes have filtrations slits
Normally all contents of plasma except trace amounts of plasma proteins appear in filtrate
How can GFR be altered
Kf (filtration coefficient)
Starling forces by patho/physiological conditions / drugs
State the ways in which capillary hydrostatic pressure can change
Constriction of afferent / efferent arterioles
Outline the impact of constriction of afferent arteriole on GFR
Increase renal vascular resistance, decrease renal vascular resistance
Decreases intraglomerular pressure and GFR
Outline the impact of changes in colloid osmotic pressure on GFR
Decrease in protein concentration (hypo proteinaemia), increase in GFR
Outline the impact of changes in bowman’s space pressure on GFR
Increase in bowman’s space pressure by renal stone, decrease in GFR
Outline the impact of changes in Kf on GFR
Increase in Kf via drugs or conditions, decrease in GFR
Outline the use of insulin as an indicator of GFR
Freely filtered, not reabsorbed / secreted / metabolised
No effect on renal toxic
Easily measured in urine
Mass filtered = mass excreted
Function of the kidneys
Filter and excrete waste products
Control water and electrolyte balance
Location of kidneys
Retroperitoneal
T12- L3
R kidney usually lower due to presence of liver