Urogenital System and Kidney Function

This set of flashcards covers key concepts from the urogenital system and kidney functions based on the provided lecture notes.

Incisors

Teeth used to cut, bite, or clip food.

Canines

Teeth used to grasp and puncture food.

Premolars and molars

Teeth used to grind and crush food.

Urogenital system

The urinary (excretory) and genital (reproductive) systems.

Glomerulus

Filters blood

Glomus

Capillaries or blood vessels used to blood flow regulation

Why are urinary and genital systems studied together?

They share some of the same organs and ducts.

Urinary system components

Includes kidneys and ducts that carry away urine.

Genital system components

Includes gonads and ducts that carry sperm and eggs.

Products of the genital system

Sperm and eggs.

Urine release location

Cloaca or urogenital sinus.

Eggs

Female sex cells that are fertilized.

Sperm

Male sex cells that fertilize eggs.

Kidneys location

Retroperitoneal (behind the peritoneum).

Kidneys formation origin

Nephric ridge.

Nephric ridge

Intermediate mesoderm that protrudes from dorsal body wall.

Kidney development structures

Nephrotomes, glomerulus, nephric duct.

Nephritic tubules origin

Arise from nephrotomes.

Tripartite concept

Formation of nephritic tubules in three locations with loss, merger, or replacement forming adult kidneys.

Three parts of the tripartite concept

Pronephros, mesonephros, metanephros.

Pronephros

Anterior structure; regresses usually.

Mesonephros

Middle structure; functional in embryo; modified into opisthonephros.

Metanephros

Posterior structure; adult kidneys of amniotes.

Opisthonephros

Formed when mesonephros connects with posterior nephric ridge; adult kidney in fishes and amphibians.

Adult kidney in hagfish

Mesonephros.

Hagfish kidney tubules

Anterior lack glomeruli; posterior have glomeruli.

Lamprey larvae kidney type

Pronephrotic with one glomus.

Lamprey adult kidney type

Opisthonephros.

Most fishes kidney type

Opisthonephros.

Amphibian kidney type

Mostly opisthonephros.

Amniote embryonic kidney type

Mesonephros.

Amniote adult kidney type

Metanephros.

Renal (Bowman’s) capsule

Thin layer of connective tissue that surrounds and supports the kidney.

Renal cortex

Outer region of the kidney beneath the capsule where filtration begins.

Renal medulla

Inner region of the kidney; concentrates urine.

Minor calyx

Collects urine from the renal papilla.

Major calyx

Collects urine from the minor calyx and moves it toward the renal pelvis.

Renal pelvis

A funnel that receives urine from the major calyx.

Renal sinus

Cavity within the kidney containing renal pelvis, calyx, blood vessels and nerves.

Parts of the urinary system

Kidney, ureter, urinary bladder, urethra.

Ureter

Tubes that carry urine from the kidney to the bladder.

Urinary bladder

Stores urine temporarily.

Urethra

Carries urine from the bladder out; also carries sperm out in men.

Kidney functions

Excretion and osmoregulation.

Uriniferous tubule

A structure consisting of a nephron and collecting duct that forms and carries urine.

Nephron

Homeostasis; produces urine.

Collecting tubule (duct)

Tube receiving filtrate from nephrons and transporting urine.

Glomerulus

Filters blood.

Glumus

A bundle of capillaries/blood vessels for flow regulation.

Nephrotic duct

Drains fluid.

Animal with Glumus

Lamprey.

Hagfish glomeruli location

In the posterior tubules.

Renal corpuscle

Made of glomerulus and Bowman’s capsule where filtration happens.

Medulla function

Concentrates urine.

Proximal tubule

First segment of the nephron tubule; where most reabsorption occurs.

Intermediate tubule

Thin part of the Loop of Henle.

Distal tubule

Final segment; adjusts ion balance and pH.

Loop of Henle function

Helps concentrate urine by reabsorbing water.

Descending Loop of Henle

Allows water to leave.

Ascending Loop of Henle

Allows salt to leave.

Main kidney functions

Excretion and osmoregulation.

Kidneys control functions

Blood pressure and erythrocyte production.

Ammonia definition

Highly toxic nitrogen waste from protein and nucleic acid metabolism.

Organisms excreting ammonia

Aquatic animals, especially fishes.

Uric acid definition

Nitrogen waste that uses very little water.

Organisms excreting uric acid

Birds and most reptiles.

Urea definition

Nitrogen waste that uses little water.

Organisms excreting urea

Mammals.

Amphibians excretion tendency

Ammonia or urea depending on environment.

Osmoregulation definition

Regulation of water and solute balance in the body.

Water conservers

Organisms that retain water and prevent loss.

Water fluxes

Movement of water into and out of the body.

Hyperosmotic

High solute concentration; fresh water fish.

Hyposmotic

Low solute concentration; saltwater fish.

Osmoconformers

Animals with internal concentrations that match the environment.

Examples of osmoconformers

Hagfishes, Chondrichthyes, coelacanths, some amphibians.

Osmoregulators

Organisms that regulate internal conditions despite their environment.

Animal examples of osmoregulators

Amphibians, birds, reptiles, humans, mammals, amniotes.

Animals with isosmotic bodies

Hagfish, Chondrichthyes, Coelacanths, some amphibians.

Secretion kidneys definition

Urine formed by secretion into tubules.

Organisms with secretion kidneys

Most insects and some invertebrates.

Filtration kidneys definition

Urine formed by filtration from glomerulus into renal capsule.

Organisms with filtration kidneys

Vertebrates, most crustaceans, annelids, mollusks.

Filtrate definition

Fluid formed from filtration in kidneys.

Filtration process

Movement of fluid and solutes into renal capsule.

Reabsorption definition

Return of substances to blood.

Secretion definition

Addition of substances into tubules.

Excretion definition

Removal of waste from body.

Daily human filtrate production

170 liters.

Daily human urine excretion

1 liter.

Water elimination problem in freshwater vertebrates reason

They are hyperosmotic.

Freshwater fish kidney adaptation

Large, well-developed glomeruli.

Freshwater fish urine production

Large amounts of dilute urine.

Distal tubule function in freshwater fish

Absorbs solutes but little water.

Aglomerular kidneys definition

Kidneys with little to no filtration.

Animals with aglomerular kidneys

Many marine teleosts.

Structures lost in marine teleosts

Distal tubule.

Marine teleosts urine production

Small amounts of concentrated urine.

Loop of Henle function

Encourages water absorption before excretion.