PLTW Human Body Systems - Chapters 4.1.1 to 4.1.5

homeostasis

the maintenance of stable internal conditions required for optimal functioning

urine

waste material secreted by the kidney, rich in end products of protein metabolism

homeostasis

the maintenance of stable internal conditions required for optimal functioning

urine

waste material secreted by the kidney, rich in end products of protein metabolism

kidney

filter blood, regulate fluid volumes, produce urine

ureter

smooth muscular tubes with mucosal backflow valves; transport urine from the kidney to the bladder

bladder

hollow and muscular, primarily in the pelvic cavity but can expand into the abdominal cavity; holds urine before voiding

urethra

1-2 inches in females, 8 inches in males; carries urine from the bladder to the outside of the body

urology

branch of medicine that monitors the health of the urinary system

renal pelvis

central collecting region in the kidney

renal medulla

inner portion of the kidney

renal cortex

outer region of the kidney

medullary pyramid

triangular, cone shaped divisions within the medulla

renal column

area of cortical tissue running between the medullary pyramids

major calyx

formed by four or five minor calyces

minor calyx

ducts coming off the pyramids

renal capsule

covers the kidney

nephron

tubular excretory unit of the vertebrate kidney

glomerulus

small network of capillaries encased in the upper end of a nephron; where the filtration of blood takes place

loop of henle

section of the nephron tubule that is responsible for conserving water and minimizing the volume of the filtrate

convoluted tubules

substances needed by the body are reabsorbed into the bloodstream

bowman's capsule

cup-shaped structure of the nephron of a kidney which encloses the glomerulus and which filtration takes place.

models

an accurate representation of an object or phenomenon

abstraction

reducing to essential characteristics

glomerular filtration rate

amount of fluid and dissolved substances both kidneys are capable of filtering per minute

tubular reabsorption

movement of substances from the tubular fluid of the nephron back into the blood

tubular secretion

the movement of substances from the blood into the tubular fluid of the nephron

algorithm

procedure used for solving a problem or performing a computation

decision tree

framework using if/then statements to make consistent classifications of data

demographics

statistics describing populations and their characteristics, including age, sec, education, nationality, ethnicity, and religion

homogenous

the same or alike

resuscitation

return of consciousness

donation chain

begins with an altruistic donor, and connects families of individuals in organ failure that have relatives not matching but willing to donate

vasodilation

widening of blood vessels as a result of the relaxation of muscular walls

nephrologist

medical doctor specializing in the kidneys; performs physical exams, imaging tests, and chemical labs

polycystic kidney disease

a genetic disorder characterized by the growth of numerous fluid-filled cysts in the kidneys

gross examination

taking note of features and abnormalities of samples with the naked eye

polymerase chain reaction

lab technique for amplifying DNA in-vitro

restriction enzymes

degradative enzyme that recognizes and divides nucleotides at specific genome sequences

gel electrophoresis

separation of nucleic acids or proteins on the basis of their size and electrical charge

urinalysis

macroscopic, chemical, and microscopic analysis of urine

macroscopic analysis

visual determination of color and clarity

chemical analysis

tests for pH, specific gravity, protein content, glucose content, and ketones

microscopic analysis

tests for presence of non-urinary cells such as leukocytes, erythrocytes, and epithelial cells