Renal System II: Regulation Lecture Notes

These flashcards cover key terms and concepts related to the renal system and its regulation, as discussed in the lecture notes.

Renal Clearance

The volume of plasma that was cleared of a substance per unit of time, typically expressed in mL/min.

GFR (Glomerular Filtration Rate)

The rate at which blood is filtered through the glomeruli of the kidneys, typically measured in mL/min.

Inulin

A polysaccharide used as a standard to measure GFR, as it is freely filtered and not reabsorbed or secreted.

Diabetes Insipidus

A condition characterized by excessive urination due to an inability to produce or respond to vasopressin.

Atrial Natriuretic Peptides (ANPs)

Hormones released by atrial myocardial cells that promote salt and water excretion, thus regulating blood volume and pressure.

Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone System (RAAS)

A hormone system that regulates blood pressure and fluid balance through various physiological responses.

Hyperkalemia

An elevated potassium level in the blood, which can lead to life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias.

Hypokalemia

A low potassium level in the blood, which can lead to failure of respiratory and cardiac cells.

Vasopressin

Also known as antidiuretic hormone (ADH), it regulates water reabsorption in the kidneys.

Clearance of Glucose

Normally equal to zero, as all filtered glucose is reabsorbed under normal conditions.

Efferent arteriole

The blood vessel that carries blood away from the glomerulus after filtration.

Afferent arteriole

arteriole is the blood vessel that carries blood towards the glomerulus in the kidneys to be filtered.

Nephron

The functional unit of the kidney responsible for filtration, reabsorption, secretion, and excretion.

Urea Clearance

An example of net reabsorption where filtration exceeds excretion, resulting in reabsorption of urea.

Penicillin Clearance

An example of net secretion where excretion of penicillin exceeds its filtration.

Aquaporins

Water channel proteins that facilitate the reabsorption of water in the kidneys.

Osmolarity

A measure of solute concentration in a solution, which affects the movement of water across the nephron.