Week 6 Renal pathology workshop Flashcards
What is the renal sinus?
A space around the hilar structures filled with loose connective tissue
What are the functions of a normal kidney?
Excretion of metabolic waste products and foreign chemicals
Regulation of water and electrolyte balance
Regulation of body fluid osmolarity and electrolyte concentrations
Regulation of arterial blood pressure
Regulation of acid-base balance
Secretion, metabolism and excretion of hormones
Bone metabolism
Gluconeogenesis
What are the five major parts of the nephron?
The glomerulus and Bowmans capsule
The proximal convoluted tubule
The loop of henle
The distal convoluted tubule
The collecting duct
What are the two types of nephrons?
The cortical nephron
The juxtamedullary nephron
What are the features of the cortical nephron?
85% of all nephrons
Located in the cortex
What are the features of juxtaglomerular nephrons?
15% of all nephrons
Located at the boundary of the cortex and the medulla tend to have a longer loop of Henle so play a greater role of regulation of blood volume.
Describe the vascular supply the the nephron?
From interlobular arteries branch the afferent arteriole the glomerulas then the efferent arteriole
From the efferent arteriole is the peritubular capillary that surrounds all the cortical nephrons, in the juxtaglomerular nephonrs due to their increased LOH length the peritibular capillary also branch to vasa recta to surround the LOH.
The venous end of the capillaries will drain into interlobular veins.
What are the components of the renal filtration barrier?
Endothelial cells
Basement membrane
Visceral epithelial cells/podocytes
What are the key features in the bowmans capsule/ glomerulus?
Afferent and efferent arteial
Mesangial cells
Endothelial cell fenestrations
Basmenent mebrane
Podocytes
Parietal cells in bowmans capsule.
What is teh function of mesangial cells in the renal nephron?
Maintain the structure of capillaries (endothelial cells) and aid filtration.
Found in the intercapilular space
Describe the structure of the bowmans capsule?
Consists of parietal cells that form the outer capsule covering
Consists of visceral cells also called podocytes that fuse with the basement membrane of endothelial cells to form part of the filtration barrier.
How does each component of the filtration barrier contribute to what can and can not pass through the filtration barrier?
Endothelial cells - have pores between them roughly 70-100nm in width this allows the movement of plasma proteins, fluid and solute but not rbcs.
Basement membrane - negative charge - repels most plasma proteins
Podocytes/visceral epithelial cells of bowmans capsule - attach to the basement membrane by foot processes with filtration slits between them that vary from 25 to 60nm in diameter
What is the typical content of the filtrate?
Water, glucose, small amino acids, ions, urea, hormones, vitamins and ketones.
What features of a substance may prevent it from being filtered into the bowmans space?
Molecular weight above 70 kilodaltons such as albumin
Is negatively charged
Shape - has a radius above 3.6nm in radius **
What are the four categories of renal disease?
Disease of glomeruli
Disease of tubules
Disease of interstitium
Disease of blood vessels
How does the general cause vary between the different types of renal disease?
Disease of the glomeruli - tends to be immunological in origin
Tubular and interstitial diseases - are normally caused by toxic or infectious agents.
What are the five different clinical manifestations of glomerular disease?
Nephrotic syndrome
Nephritic syndrome
Chronic renal failure
Rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis
Asymptomatic hematuria or proteinuria
What are the clinical presentations of nephritic syndrome?
Haematuria
Azotemia - build up of nitrogenous and other waste products in the blood due to kidney failing
Mild proteinuria
Oliguria - low urine output
Edema
Hypertension
Pyuria
What are the primary causes of nephritic syndrome?
Post infectious glomerulonephritis
Rapidly progressive or crescentric glomerulonephritis
IgA nephropathy
What are the secondary causes of nephritic syndrome?
SLE - systemic lupus erythymus
Vasculitis
What is the clinical presentation fo nephrotic syndrome?
More than 3.5g proteinuria (specifically albumin)
Hypoalbumineia (in blood)
Severe edema
Hyperlipidemia
Lipiduria
Hypercoagulability
Risk of infection - loss of antibodies (also a protein)
What are the primary causes of nephrotic syndrome?
Membranous glomerulonephritis
Minimal change disease
Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis
What are the secondary causes of nephrotic syndrome?
Diabetes
Amyloid
What is the mechanism of nephrotic syndrome?
- Glomerular injury occurs - damages the filtration barrier so albumin (more than 3.5 grams a day) is able to cross the barrier and enter the bowman capsule
- Plasma hypoalbulimea activates the liver to increase protein production. Excess protein filtered across the barrier may be catabolised by PCT limiting protein in urine to around 3.5g a day.
- Liver synthesised more lipids - resulting in hyperlipidemia/ dyslipidemia. Lipids can be lost in urine (lipiduria)
- Liver increases anti-thrombin 3 - which increases the risk of renal artery thrombosis
- Increased transferrin, and leaks about into Bowmans space - leads to iron deficiency.
What are the consequences of hypoalbuminemia in nephrotic syndrome?
Low oncotic pressure in the blood - results in hypotension and oedema as less reabsorption from nephron and interstitial fluid.
Water and electrolytes may also move into the interstitial fluid..
Decreases venous return and cardiac output
This reduced blood flow to the kidney and decreases GFR - which results in RAAS activation - resulting in vasoconstriction so high BP and this results in severe odema (as more water retention from nephron then lost into interstitial again as hypoalbuminemia). **
What is the clinical presentation of chronic renal failure?
Azotemia and uremia progressing for years, end result of all chronic renal diseases.
Presents as:
- hyperkalemia
- acidosis
- azotemia
- hypertension
- renal osteodystrophy
- anaemia
What is uremia?
Build up of toxins in the blood