Urinary System

Question 1

What is the function of the urinary system

Answer 1

Excretory system for excess fluids, toxins, and metabolic wastes

Question 2

What are the main components of the urinary system

Answer 2

Kidneys (2), ureters (2), urinary bladder, urethra

Question 3

Where are the kidneys located

Answer 3

Behind the parietal peritoneum (back of the abdominal wall) —> Retroperitoneal

Question 4

What are the 4 functions of the kidney

Answer 4

Filters blood, adjusts chemical components of blood (neutralizes toxins), regulates blood volume, recycles and takes out water

Question 5

What are the structures of the kidney that produce urine

Answer 5

Fibrous capsule, renal cortex, renal medulla

Question 6

What are the structures of the kidney that drain urine

Answer 6

Minor calyx, major calyx, renal pelvis, urethra (drains in that order)

Question 7

What is the fibrous capsule of the kidney

Answer 7

Dense irregular CT on top of renal cortex

Question 8

What is the renal cortex

Answer 8

The outer tissue layer of the kidney

Question 9

What is the renal medulla

Answer 9

Inner tissue layer of the kidney split into renal pyramids

Question 10

What is a uriniferous tubule

Answer 10

A nephron and a collecting duct

Question 11

What are the kinds of nephrons

Answer 11

Cortical (short loop of Henle, most nephrons) and juxtamedullary (longer loop that extends into medulla, concentrates urine)

Question 12

What is filtration

Answer 12

Movement of fluids and wastes from blood capillaries into a nephron

Question 13

What is resorption

Answer 13

Nutrients, water, ions recovered by the body and moved from the nephron back into capillaries (active, takes energy)

Question 14

What is secretion

Answer 14

Additional molecules moving actively and selectively from capillaries into the nephron (when too big for filtration)

Question 15

What are the parts of a nephron

Answer 15

Renal corpuscle, proximal convoluted tubule, descending loop of Henle, ascending loop of Henle, and distal convoluted tubule

Question 16

What does it mean to concentrate urine

Answer 16

Take water out

Question 17

What process happens at the renal corpuscle

Answer 17

Filtration

Question 18

What are the structures of the renal corpuscle

Answer 18

Glomerulus and glomerular capsule

Question 19

What is the glomerulus in the renal corpuscle

Answer 19

Ball of fenestrated capillaries (afferent arteriole going in, efferent coming out) covered by podocytes

Question 20

What is the glomerular capsule of the renal corpuscle

Answer 20

2 layered structures (parietal is outer layer of capsule, visceral surrounds capillaries)

Question 21

What is different about the arterioles in the renal corpuscle

Answer 21

Afferent is bigger to push more blood in and create pressure that pushes blood through the capillaries into the capsule

Question 22

What is another name for the glomerular capsule

Answer 22

Bowman’s Capsule

Question 23

What type of capillaries are in the glomerulus of the renal corpuscle

Answer 23

Fenestrated (filtrate must squeeze through fenestrations and filtration slits of podocytes)

Question 24

What is the filtrate made of that seeps into the glomerular capsule of the renal corpuscle

Answer 24

Water, ions, glucose, amino acids, urea, etc.

Question 25

What are the characteristics of the proximal convoluted tubule

Answer 25

Simple cuboidal epithelium with microvilli (increase absorption), protein pumps (Na/K), cuboidal cells resorb salt, vitamins and water - resorption and secretion

Question 26

What are the characteristics of the thin loop of henle

Answer 26

Water can leave via osmosis (high concentration to low concentration), otherwise impermeable, simple squamous epithelium for resorption of water, covered by efferent capillaries

Question 27

What are the characteristics of the ascending loop of henle

Answer 27

Na/K pump, water unable to leave, simple cuboidal epithelium for resorption and secretion

Question 28

What are the characteristics of the distal convoluted tubule

Answer 28

Na/K pump, simple cuboidal epithelium for resorption and secretion, not as much tuning needed

Question 29

What are the 5 characteristics of the collecting duct

Answer 29

Collects urine from many nephrons, passes from cortex through medulla, empties into minor calyx, minor alterations to urine (last chance), simple cuboidal epithelium for resorption and secretion

Question 30

What are peritubular capillaries

Answer 30

Surround convoluted tubules of cortical nephrons, very porous for resorption and secretion

Question 31

What are vasa recta

Answer 31

The vessels around the loop of henle within the medulla that are best at resorbing water and concentrating urine, mainly associated with juxtamedullary nephrons

Question 32

What is hemodialysis

Answer 32

Procedure to cleanse blood when kidneys are not working properly so it doesn’t become toxic

Question 33

How does hemodialysis work

Answer 33

Anticoagulant is added to blood pumped through tubes, dialyzer with cellophane filters remove wastes from the blood, air trap ensures no air bubbles get pumped back into the body

Question 34

What are kidney stones

Answer 34

Can precipitate out of urine (usually calcium) and block ureter causing urine to build in the renal pelvis

Question 35

How do you treat kidney stones

Answer 35

Drugs and ultrasounds to break up and dissolve them, hydrate to prevent them from forming

Question 36

What are the characteristics of the ureter

Answer 36

Drains urine from the renal pelvis, lined by transitional epithelium (umbrella cells)

Question 37

What is the urinary bladder

Answer 37

Muscular sac that collects and stores urine until it needs to be empty, lined by transitional epithelium

Question 38

How does the bladder fill

Answer 38

It moves upwards

Question 39

What are the layers of the bladder wall

Answer 39

Adventitia (CT covering) with fat cells, detrusor muscle, lamina propria, transitional epithelium

Question 40

What is the detrusor muscle

Answer 40

Thick smooth muscle that’s under control of parasympathetic NS and signals contraction when bladder stretches

Question 41

What are the structures of the urinary bladder and urethra

Answer 41

Detrusor muscle, internal urethral sphincter, and external urethral sphincter

Question 42

What is the internal urethral sphincter

Answer 42

Smooth muscle under control of sympathetic NS that signals contraction when bladder is filling

Question 43

What is the external urethral sphincter

Answer 43

Skeletal muscle that develops as a child, under voluntary control of somatic motor division of NS

Question 44

What are the characteristics of the urethra

Answer 44

Transitional epithelium near bladder then stratified squamous (continuous with skin), about 1/5 of the size in females vs males (more prone to infection)