Urinary System

A set of vocabulary flashcards covering key terms and concepts from the chapter on the urinary system.

Urinary System

A system that includes kidneys, ureters, urinary bladder, and urethra which functions to filter blood and eliminate waste.

Nephron

The microscopic functional unit of the kidney responsible for filtration of blood and formation of urine.

Glomerulus

A tangle of capillary loops within the renal corpuscle where the filtration of blood begins.

Filtrate

The fluid that is filtered from blood and enters the capsular space of the nephron.

Tubular Reabsorption

The process whereby substances are reabsorbed from the tubular fluid back into the blood.

ADH (Antidiuretic Hormone)

A hormone that increases water reabsorption in the kidneys, thereby concentrating urine.

Renal Fascia

A layer of dense irregular connective tissue that anchors the kidney to surrounding structures.

Micturition Reflex

The neural reflex that results in the expulsion of urine from the bladder.

Erythropoietin

A hormone produced by the kidneys that stimulates red blood cell production in response to low blood oxygen.

Ureters

Muscular tubes that transport urine from the kidneys to the urinary bladder.

Urethra

The tube that conducts urine from the urinary bladder to the outside of the body.

Filtration Membrane

A porous membrane formed by the glomerulus and glomerular capsule that filters blood.

Afferent Arteriole

The blood vessel that carries blood to the glomerulus for filtration.

Efferent Arteriole

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

Uric Acid

A nitrogenous waste product formed from the breakdown of nucleic acids, part of urine composition.

Hydronephrosis

Swelling of a kidney due to a build-up of urine, often caused by a blockage.

Renal Corpuscle

The part of the nephron that consists of the glomerulus and Bowman's capsule.

Proximal Convoluted Tubule (PCT)

The first section of the renal tubule where a majority of reabsorption occurs.

Distal Convoluted Tubule (DCT)

The section of the nephron where the regulation of salt and water occurs, influenced by hormones.

Countercurrent Multiplier

A mechanism involving the nephron loop that establishes a concentration gradient in the renal medulla.