Urine 1L

A comprehensive set of QUESTION_AND_ANSWER flashcards covering the urinary system overview, kidney functions, kidney structure, blood supply, urine flow, nephron components, Renal Corpuscle, tubular segments, and JGA.

What organs make up the urinary system?

Kidneys, ureters, urinary bladder, urethra.

What is the main function of the kidneys?

Filter blood and produce urine.

Describe the flow of urine through the urinary system.

Kidneys → Ureters → Bladder → Urethra → Out of the body.

What is the function of the urinary bladder?

Stores up to 1 liter of urine in a muscular sac.

What waste products do kidneys remove from blood?

Urea, uric acid, drugs, hormones.

How do kidneys help balance ions?

By adjusting Na⁺, K⁺, Ca²⁺, PO₄³⁻ levels in urine.

How do kidneys regulate pH?

By adjusting levels of H⁺ and HCO₃⁻.

How do kidneys regulate blood pressure?

By adjusting water excretion and releasing renin.

What hormones and compounds are made by the kidneys?

Calcitriol (vitamin D activation), Erythropoietin (EPO), glucose via gluconeogenesis.

What are the layers surrounding the kidney (from innermost to outermost)?

Fibrous capsule → Perinephric fat → Renal fascia → Paranephric fat.

Function of the fibrous capsule?

Maintains shape, protects from injury/infection.

Function of perinephric fat?

Cushions and stabilizes the kidney.

Function of renal fascia?

Anchors kidney to surrounding structures.

Function of paranephric fat?

Extra cushioning and stabilization.

What is the order of arteries that supply the kidney?

Renal artery → Segmental → Interlobar → Arcuate → Interlobular → Afferent arteriole.

What happens at the glomerulus?

Blood is filtered; plasma crosses into the nephron.

Where does blood go after the glomerulus?

Efferent arteriole → Peritubular capillaries or vasa recta.

What is the order of veins draining the kidney?

Interlobular → Arcuate → Interlobar → Renal vein → Inferior vena cava.

Describe the flow of filtrate through the nephron and urinary tract.

Glomerulus → PCT → Loop of Henle → DCT → Collecting tubule → Collecting duct → Papillary duct → Minor calyx → Major calyx → Renal pelvis → Ureter → Bladder → Urethra.

What is a nephron?

The functional unit of the kidney that filters blood and forms urine.

What are the two main parts of a nephron?

Renal corpuscle and renal tubule.

What are the two types of nephrons?

Cortical nephrons and juxtamedullary nephrons.

What is special about juxtamedullary nephrons?

Key for concentrating urine (especially with ADH).

What makes up the renal corpuscle?

Glomerulus and Bowman’s (glomerular) capsule.

What are the layers of Bowman’s capsule?

Visceral (permeable, touches glomerulus) and parietal (impermeable).

What is the function of the capsular space?

Collects the filtrate.

What are the sections of the renal tubule?

PCT, Loop of Henle, DCT.

What happens in the PCT?

Reabsorbs water, ions, glucose, amino acids; secretes waste.

What happens in the Loop of Henle?

Descending limb reabsorbs water; ascending limb reabsorbs salts.

What happens in the DCT?

Hormone-regulated reabsorption/secretion (aldosterone, PTH); acid-base balance.

What does the collecting duct do?

Final adjustments to urine; water/salt reabsorption; acid-base balance.

What is the juxtaglomerular apparatus (JGA)?

Regulates BP and filtration via renin (from granular cells) and NaCl sensing (macula densa).