Urinary - Kidneys

Question 1

What level of the spine is the urinary system at?

Answer 1

T12 and L3

Question 2

Why is the right kidney slightly lower than the left?

Answer 2

Due to liver

Question 3

What is the renal hilum?

Answer 3

Entry and exit point for ureters, renal blood vessels and nerves

Question 4

What’s on top of each kidney?

Answer 4

Adrenal glands

Question 5

What are the coverings of the kidneys?

Answer 5

• fibrous capsule
• perirenal fat capsule
• renal fascia

Question 6

What is the fibrous capsule?

Answer 6

A thin membranous sheath that covers each kidney - innermost layer

Question 7

What is the perirenal fat capsule?

Answer 7

Fat that surrounds each kidney and cushions against blows

Question 8

What is the renal fascia?

Answer 8

Outermost layer that surrounds kidneys and adrenal glands. Helps anchor organs in place

Question 9

What are the regions of the kidney?

Answer 9

• renal cortex
• renal medulla
• renal pelvis

Question 10

What does the calyces do?

Answer 10

Funnel urine towards renal pelvis

Question 11

What is the renal pelvis?

Answer 11

Funnel for urine

Question 12

For each minute, how much blood passes the kidneys?

Answer 12

One quarter

Question 13

Can nephrons be replaced when damaged?

Answer 13

No

Question 14

What is the responsibility of nephrons?

Answer 14

Process waste products from the blood to form urine

Question 15

What are the two main structures of nephrons?

Answer 15

1. Renal corpuscle
2. Renal tubules

Question 16

What is the structure of renal corpuscle?

Answer 16

• glomerulus
• bowman’s capsule (or glomerular capsule)

Question 17

What is the glomerulus?

Answer 17

Network of tiny blood capillaries where blood filtration begins

Question 18

What is the glomerular (Bowman’s) capsule?

Answer 18

Cup shaped structure surrounding the glomerulus

Question 19

What are the subdivisions of the renal tubule?

Answer 19

1. Proximal convoluted tubule (PCT)
2. Nephron loop (loop of Henle)
3. Distal convoluted tubule (DCT)

Question 20

What are peritubular capillary beds?

Answer 20

• Small blood vessels surrounding renal tubules
• arise from arterioles of the glomeruli
• reabsorbs nutrients and water from renal tubules that needs to go back into bloodstream

Question 21

What is the collecting duct?

Answer 21

• Separate from nephrons
• carry tubular fluid through renal medulla towards renal pelvis and ureters

Question 22

What are the two types of nephrons?

Answer 22

Cortical & juxtamedullary

Question 23

What type of nerves do both nephrons contain? What do these nerves do?

Answer 23

Renal nerves - adjust blood flow and bp at glomeruli

Question 24

What does nitrogenous waste include?

Answer 24

• creatinine
• ammonia / urea
• uric acid

Question 25

What is uric acid?

Answer 25

Produced from breakdown of the body’s cells and food

Question 26

What is creatinine?

Answer 26

Produced by muscles from the breakdown of creatine (substance that provides energy for the muscles)

Question 27

What is ammonia? Urea?

Answer 27

A toxic waste product from the breakdown of proteins. Converted into urea by liver (less toxic waste product)

Question 28

What is a urea test for?

Answer 28

Assess protein balance

Question 29

What does low levels of ammonia/urea indicate?

Answer 29

- malnutrition - kidney dysfunction

Question 30

What does high levels of ammonia/urea indicate?

Answer 30

- excessive protein intake - increased protein breakdown in the body

Question 31

Where are cortical nephrons found?

Answer 31

Cortex Responsible for reabsorption of water and solutes from filtrate. Less involved in concentrating urine

Question 32

Where are juxtamedullary nephrons found?

Answer 32

Boundary of the cortex and medulla Essential for conserving water in the body and concentrating urine Releases renin (regulates bp)