Urinary System

Question 0

How many kidneys does a person have?

Answer 0

A person has 2 kidneys.

Question 1

Name the four organs of the urinary system.

Answer 1

Kidneys
Ureters
Bladder
Urethra

Question 2

How many ureters does a person have?

Answer 2

A person has two ureters.

Question 3

Kidneys

Answer 3

A kidney is a bean-shaped, fist-sized organ where urine is formed.

Question 4

Ureter

Answer 4

A ureter is a small, muscular tube that carries urine from the kidneys to the bladder.

Question 5

Bladder

Answer 5

The bladder is an expandable organ that stores urine until it is expelled from the body.

Question 6

Urethra

Answer 6

The urethra is a tube (longer in men than in women) that carries urine from the bladder to the outside of the body.

Question 7

Give the five functions of the urinary system.

Answer 7

1. Excretion of metabolic wastes
2. Maintenance of water-salt balance
3. Maintenance of acid-base balance
4. Hormone secretion
5. Reabsorb filtered nutrients and synthesize vitamin D

Question 8

How is urea made?

Answer 8

Urea is made by the breakdown of amino acids in the liver.

Question 9

How is uric acid made?

Answer 9

Uric acid is made by the breakdown of nucleotides.

Question 10

How is creatinine made?

Answer 10

Creatinine is made by muscle cells from the breakdown of creatine phosphate.

Question 11

What is excretion comprised of?

Answer 11

Excretion is mostly of nitrogenous wastes.

Question 12

What does the water-salt balance help maintain?

Answer 12

The water-salt balance helps to maintain blood pressure.

Question 13

Name two homeostatic mechanisms of the urinary system.

Answer 13

Water-salt balance

Acid-base balance

Question 14

How do the kidneys maintain the acid-base balance?

Answer 14

The kidneys maintain the acid-base balance by excreting hydrogen ions and reabsorbing bicarbonate ions.

Question 15

What is the blood pH maintained at?

Answer 15

The blood pH is maintained at 7.4.

Question 16

Renin

Answer 16

A hormone secreted by the kidneys to allow the adrenal glands to secrete aldoesterone.

Question 17

Aldosterone

Answer 17

Aldosterone is a hormone secreted by the adrenal glands that helps regulate the water-salt balance.

Question 18

Erythropoietin

Answer 18

Erythropoietin is a hormone secreted by the kidneys to stimulate red blood cell production when blood oxygen is low.

Question 19

Vitamin D

Answer 19

Vitamin D is a molecule that promotes calcium absorption from the digestive tract.

Question 20

How does the urinary bladder work?

Answer 20

The urinary bladder stores urine, and sphincters keep it closed. An expandable wall contains a middle layer of circular fibers of smooth muscle and 2 layers of longitudinal smooth muscle. The lining of the transitional epithelium allows for expansion of mucosa, and filling activates stretch receptors which signal to the spinal cord.

Question 21

Renal Cortex

Answer 21

An outer granulated layer of the kidneys.

Question 22

Renal Medulla

Answer 22

The renal medulla is cone-shaped tissue masses called renal pyramids.

Question 23

Renal Pelvis

Answer 23

The renal pelvis is a central cavity that is continuous with the ureter.

Question 24

Nephrons

Answer 24

Nephrons are a microscopic functional unit of the kidney that produces urine. There are more than one million of these per kidney!

Question 25

Name the three parts of the process of the nephron forming urine.

Answer 25

Glomerular filtration
Tubular reabsorption
Tubular secretion

Question 26

Describe glomerular filtration.

Answer 26

Water, salts, nutrient molecules, and waste molecules move from the glomerulus to the inside of the glomerular capsule.

Question 27

Describe tubular reabsorption.

Answer 27

Nutrient and salt molecules are actively reabsorbed from the convoluted tubules into the peritubular capillary network, and water flows passively.

Question 28

Describe tubular secretion.

Answer 28

Certain ions and molecules (e.g., H+) are actively secreted from the peritubular capillary network into the convoluted tubules.

Question 29

Kidney Stones

Answer 29

Kidney stones are hard granules formed in the renal pelvis due to UTIs, enlarged prostate, pH imbalances, or intake of too much calcium.

Question 30

Uremia

Answer 30

High levels of urea and other waste substances in the blood that cause a serious condition when water and salts are retained due to extensive nephron damage.

Question 31

Hemodialysis

Answer 31

Hemodialysis uses an artificial kidney machine to subtract and add substances to the blood as needed.

Question 32

Continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis

Answer 32

Continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis uses the peritoneal membrane to filter the blood and allows a person to go about their normal life without interruption.

Question 33

Kidney Replacement

Answer 33

A kidney replacement is when a single kidney is transplanted, with a high success rate.