03. Ultrafiltration

Includes questions on the nephron in general too

What are the parts of the nephron, and where do they reside?

Bowman’s capsule and proximal and distal convoluted tubules in the cortex. Loop of henle in the medulla.

What is ultrafiltration?

Filtration under high pressure

What happen to small molecules and ions in ultrafiltration?

Forced into the tubule as filtrate

What happen to large molecules in ultrafiltration?

Cannot pass into tubule as too large to be filtered

What parts are responsible for ultrafiltration?

The bowman’s capsule and glomerulus

What is generated in the capillary knot as the blood capillaries are narrow?

High hydrostatic pressure

Where and why is high hydrostatic pressure generated?

In the capillary knot due to narrow blood capillaries

How does blood enter and exit the glomerulus?

Enters via afferent arteriole and exits via efferent arteriole

What is the difference between afferent and efferent arteriole?

Afferent has wider diameter

What does the hydrostatic pressure do?

Provides the driving force for ultrafiltration

Where do small molecules pass through?

3 filtration layers and enter bowman’s capsule and tubule as filtrate

What does glomerular filtrate contain?

Water, glucose, salts, urea, and amino acids

What separates the blood entering the glomerulus from the bowman’s capsule?

Capillary walls, basement membrane and squamous epithelial cell layer of bowman’s capsule