Urinary System

Question 1

What is the primary role of the kidney?

Answer 1

Filtration; extract and remove metabolic waste from the blood

Question 2

What are the components of the urinary system?

Answer 2

• Kidney
• Ureters
• Urinary bladder
• Urethra

Question 3

What is peri-renal fat?

Answer 3

Found outside of the kidney capsule, protects and insulates (suet)

Question 4

What is the anterior pole?

Answer 4

Rounded end of kidney, cranial end

Question 5

What is the posterior pole?

Answer 5

Rounded end of the kidney, caudal end

Question 6

What is the hilus?

Answer 6

The medial, concave border of the kidney, entrance for blood vessels and ureters

Question 7

What is the cortex?

Answer 7

The outer/peripheral layer inside the kidney

Question 8

What does the cortex contain?

Answer 8

Glomerulus, Bowman’s capsule, proximal convoluted tubules (PCTs), and distal convoluted tubules (DCTs)

Question 9

What is the medulla?

Answer 9

The inner layer inside the kidney

Question 10

What are medullary pyramids?

Answer 10

Pyramid-shaped structures that make up the medulla.

Question 11

What is the outer medullary zone?

Answer 11

Dark red base of pyramid, contains loop of Henle and collecting tubules

Question 12

What is the inner medullary zone?

Answer 12

Light tan to cream apex of pyramid, contains collecting tubules only

Question 13

What is the renal pelvis?

Answer 13

The expanded part of the ureter within the kidney, receives formed urine from collecting tubules

Question 14

What is hydrostatic pressure?

Answer 14

The pressure exerted or transmitted by a fluid at rest

Question 15

What is osmotic pressure?

Answer 15

The pressure exerted by the flow of water through a semipermeable membrane

Question 16

What is glomerulonephritis?

Answer 16

Any inflammatory condition involving both the glomerulus and the tubules

Question 17

What is nephritis?

Answer 17

Inflammation of the tubular part of the nephron including the PCT & DCT and loop of Henle

Question 18

What is hydronephrosis?

Answer 18

Fluid accumulation, usually the result of obstruction of a ureter, causing non-inflammatory condition of the nephron. Results in swelling of the ureter(s) and renal pelvis(es) and accumulation of urine in the kidney/nephrons

Question 19

What is cystitis?

Answer 19

Inflammation of the wall of the urinary bladder

Question 20

What is uremia?

Answer 20

An excess of urea, creatinine, and other nitrogenous end products of protein metabolism in the blood, seen in renal disease / failure

Question 21

What is CKD (Chronic Kidney Disease), or CRF (Chronic Renal Failure)?

Answer 21

Progressive loss of kidneys’ ability to filter, reabsorb, and secrete substances, to concentrate urine or produce hormones, etc.

Question 22

What is urinary calculi / uroliths?

Answer 22

Stones in the urinary tract

Question 23

What is urolithiasis?

Answer 23

The condition of having urinary calculi / uroliths

Question 24

What is cystoliths?

Answer 24

Uroliths in the bladder

Question 25

What is nephroliths?

Answer 25

Uroliths in the kidney

Question 26

What is FUS (Feline Urologic Syndrome), or FLUTD (Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease)?

Answer 26

The production of crystals (and possibly cystoliths) and blood in the feline bladder

Question 27

What is UTI (Urinary Tract Infection)?

Answer 27

May refer to an infection of the entire urinary tract, but commonly used to refer primarily to the lower urinary tract, or bacterial cystitis

Question 28

What is pyelonephritis?

Answer 28

Infection of the upper urinary tract, specifically the kidney

Question 29

What is a diuretic?

Answer 29

Any drug and/or substance which will enhance the output of urine

Question 30

Main components of urine?

Answer 30

- Fluid - Wastes - Urea - Creatinine - Nitrates - Uric acid - Phosphates - Any substances which exceed the threshold levels, ie glucose

Question 31

What hormones are produced by the kidney?

Answer 31

- Renin - Erythropoietin - Anti-diuretic hormone

Question 32

What is renin?

Answer 32

A glyco-protein – enzyme, produced by juxtaglomerular cells. Acts upon biologically inactive protein substance called Angiotensinogen, changes it to Angiotensin I -> II -> III. Angiotensin III constricts blood vessels, increasing blood pressure, and acts upon adrenal glands to release hormone called Aldosterone. Which circulates blood to the kidney and acts upon the tubules to increase the reabsorption of sodium, which helps increase blood pressure

Question 33

What is erythropoietin?

Answer 33

A glyco-protein produced in the glomerulus in response to reduced oxygen levels in the afferent arterioles. Stimulates bone marrow to increase red blood cell formation

Question 34

What is anti-diuretic hormone?

Answer 34

Secreted in a special area of the brain called the hypothalamus including response to intercellular osmolarity.