Uro - Renal Regulation Flashcards
(79 cards)
What force drives osmosis in the kidneys?
osmotic pressure

What is osmotic pressure proportional to?
Osmotic pressure ∝ No. of solute particles
What is osmalarity?
Osmolarity = Concentration x No. of dissociated particles
(Osm/L OR mOsm/L)
Calculate the osmolarity for 100 mmol/L glucose
Osmolarity for glucose = 100 x 1 = 100 mOsm/L
Calculate the osmolarity for 100mmol/L NaCl.
Osmolarity for NaCl = 100 x 2 = 200 mOsm/L
What percentage of our body weight is made up of fluid volume?
60%
What is distribution of fluid in the body?

What is water loss is unregulated?
- Sweat
- Feces
- Vomit
- Water evaporation from respiratory lining and skin
What water loss is regulated?
• Renal regulation – urine production
What is the general process of positive water balance in renal regulation?
high water intake → increased ECF volume, decreased sodium ions, decreased osmolarity → hypo-osmotic urine production → osmolarity normlises
What is the process of negative water balance in renal regulation?
low water intake → decreased ECF volume, increased sodium ions, increased osmolarity → hyper-osmotic urine production → osmolarity normlises
What compartment does water enter first when entering the body?
ECF, then moves into intracellular fluid space
How much water is reabsorped in PCT?
67%
What is reabsorped in the thin descending loop, and how?
water (passively) but NO NaCl
What is reabsorped in the thin ascending loop of Henle, and how?
NaCl (passively), but no water
What is reabsorped in the thick ascending loop of Henle, and how?
NaCl (actively)
What is reabsorped in the collecting duct? Why?
- variable amounts of water
- modulates aquaporin channels, responds to hormones depending on body’s needs, etc.
Why does the thin descending loop not reabsorp NaCl?
- Since water is reabsorbed through the passive process of osmosis, it requires a gradient.
- The medullary interstitium needs to be hyperosmotic for water reabsorption to occur from the Loop of Henle and Collecting duct.
- done so that body doesn’t waste energy actively transporting water, etc.
What is the process of concurrent multiplication?
- when filtrate passes through the thin descending limb round to the thick ascending limb, active salt reabsorption occurs in the thick ascending limb.
- this decreases osmolality in the thick ascending limb and increases osmolality in the medullary interstitium.
- when the medullary interstitium’s osmolality increases, passive water reabsorption from the thin descending limb occurs in order to reach equilibrium.
- this process occurs multiple times, and forms a gradient through the loop of henle

How does urea leave the medullary interstitium?
2 ways:
- enters the vasa recta (series of blood capillaries that surrounds the nephron)
- enters the loop of Henle via the thin descending limb
What transporter does urea use to enter the vasa recta?
UT-B1
What transporter does urea use to enter the thin descending limb?
UT-A2
How is urea recycled?
- enters the loop of henle and collecting duct
- comes back to the medullary interstitium using UT-A1 and UT-A3
Why is urea recycled?
to increase the medullary interstitium’s osmolarity











