Chapter 15 Vocab-Urinary System

Retroperitoneal

Having to do with the area outside or behind the peritoneum

Nephron

filtering units

Perirenal Fat Capsule

a transparent capsule that prevents infections in surrounding regions from spreading to the kidney.

Glomerulus

tiny clusters of looping blood vessels.

Podocyte

highly specialized cells of the kidney glomerulus that wrap around capillaries

Cortical Nephrons

a tiny structural and functional component of the kidney that only enters the outer renal medulla by a brief Henle loop. 

Juxtamedullary Nephrons

located at the boundary between the renal cortex and medulla and are responsible for regulating water balance in the body

Urine

a watery, typically yellowish fluid stored in the bladder and discharged through the urethra

Glomerular Filtration

the process that your kidneys use to filter excess fluid and waste products out of the blood

Tubular Reabsorption

he process that moves solutes and water out of the filtrate and back into your bloodstream

Tubular Secretion

the transfer of materials from peritubular capillaries to the renal tubular lumen and occurs mainly through active transportation

Glomerular Filtrate

**the process that your kidneys use to filter excess fluid and waste products out of the blood** 

Urea

a colorless crystalline compound which is the main nitrogenous breakdown product of protein metabolism in mammals and is excreted in urine.

Uric Acid

**a waste product found in blood**. It's created when the body breaks down chemicals called purines.

Creatinine

a compound which is produced by metabolism of creatine and excreted in the urine.

Urochrome

a yellow pigment to which the color of normal urine is principally due.

Specific Gravity

a measure of the concentration of solutes in the urine

Renal Failure

the inability of the kidneys to perform excretory function leading to retention of nitrogenous waste products from the blood

Glycosuria

the presence of reducing sugars in the urine, such as glucose, galactose, lactose, fructose, etc.

Pyuria

a urinary condition that is characterized by an elevated number of white blood cells in the urine.

Hematuria

red blood cells in the urine

Bilirubinuria

the presence of bilirubin in the urine

Proteinuria

the presence of protein in your urine

Hemoglobinuria

The abnormal presence of hemoglobin in the urine

Micturition

removes metabolic products and toxic wastes filtered from the kidneys