Anatomy 2 exam 4 Urinary tract

Q: What organs make up the urinary system?

A: Kidneys, ureters, urinary bladder, urethra.

Q: Where are the kidneys located?

posterior abdominal wall, between T12–L3 vertebrae.

Q: What are the main functions of the kidneys?

A: Filter blood, regulate water/electrolytes, acid-base balance, blood pressure, and hormone production (erythropoietin, calcitriol).

Q: What are the major nitrogenous wastes?

A: Urea, uric acid, creatinine.

Q: Where do nitrogenous wastes come from?

• Urea → protein/amino acid breakdown

• Uric acid → nucleic acid metabolism

• Creatinine → muscle metabolism (creatine phosphate)

Q: What is excretion?

A: Removal of metabolic wastes from the body.

Q: Which systems are involved in excretion?

A: Urinary, respiratory, integumentary, digestive systems.

Q: What is the general shape of the kidney?

A: Bean-shaped, reddish-brown organ.

Q: What are the external features of the kidney?

A: Renal capsule, renal hilum, renal cortex, renal medulla.

Q: What are internal kidney structures?

A: Renal pyramids, calyces (minor/major), renal pelvis.

Q: Trace blood flow through the kidney.

A: Renal artery → segmental → interlobar → arcuate → cortical radiate → afferent arteriole → glomerulus → efferent arteriole → peritubular capillaries/vasa recta → veins → renal vein.

Q: Trace filtrate flow through the nephron.

A: Glomerulus → Bowman’s capsule → PCT → loop of Henle → DCT → collecting duct → papillary duct → minor calyx.

Q: What is the nerve supply to the kidney?

A: Renal plexus (sympathetic nerves; regulates blood flow and filtration rate).

Q: What is glomerular filtration?

A: Movement of plasma from glomerular capillaries into Bowman’s capsule.

Q: What structure enables filtration?

A: Glomerulus (fenestrated capillaries + filtration membrane).

Q: What forces promote filtration?

A: Glomerular blood pressure.

Q: What forces oppose filtration?

A: Blood colloid osmotic pressure and capsular hydrostatic pressure.

Q: What is net filtration pressure (NFP)?

A: NFP = (glomerular blood pressure) − (capsular pressure + osmotic pressure)

Q: How is filtration regulated by the nervous system?

A: Sympathetic activation decreases GFR by constricting afferent arterioles.

Q: How do hormones regulate filtration?

• Angiotensin II ↓ or maintains GFR

• ANP ↑ GFR

Q: What is tubular reabsorption?

A: Movement of substances from tubular fluid back into blood.

Q: What is reabsorbed in the PCT?

A: Glucose, amino acids, Na⁺, water, bicarbonate.

Q: What is tubular secretion?

A: Movement of substances from blood into tubule.

Q: What is secreted by the tubules?

A: H⁺, K⁺, creatinine, drugs, toxins.

Q: How is water excretion regulated?

A: Through aquaporins controlled mainly by ADH.

Q: What does ADH do?

A: Increases water reabsorption in collecting ducts → concentrates urine.

Q: What does the collecting duct regulate?

A: Final urine volume and concentration.

Q: What maintains the medullary osmotic gradient?

A: Countercurrent multiplication in loop of Henle + vasa recta.

Q: What is normal urine made of?

A: Water (~95%), urea, salts, creatinine, uric acid.

Q: What are abnormal urine components?

A: Glucose, proteins, blood, ketones.

Q: What is a key measure of kidney function?

A: Glomerular filtration rate (GFR).

Q: What is the function of ureters?

A: Transport urine from kidneys to bladder via peristalsis.

Q: What are the layers of the urinary bladder?

A: Mucosa, detrusor muscle, serosa/adventitia.

Q: What is the function of the urinary bladder?

A: Temporary urine storage.

Q: What controls urination (micturition)?

A: Parasympathetic nervous system + sphincters.

Q: What are the urethral sphincters?

A: Internal (involuntary) and external (voluntary).

Q: Difference between male and female urethra?

A: Male: longer, carries urine + semen. Female: shorter, only urine.