Kidney Function and Fluid Balance

Flashcards reviewing kidney anatomy, function, and fluid balance, covering topics from kidney location and structure to hormonal regulation of blood pressure and pH balance.

Posterior body

Where are the kidneys located in the body?

Left kidney

Which kidney sits slightly higher in the body?

Protection

What is the purpose of the floating ribs in relation to the kidneys?

Diaphragm

What structure sits above the kidneys?

Red; oxygen-enriched blood

What is the color of the abdominal aorta, and what does this indicate?

High oxygenated blood

What type of blood does the renal artery carry to the kidney?

Blood volume and electrolytes

Besides excreting waste, what else does the kidney regulate?

A big role in acid-base balance

What role do the kidneys play in pH balance?

By controlling fluid

How do the kidneys help regulate blood pressure?

Erythropoietin

What substance is excreted by the kidneys to stimulate red blood cell production?

Distal ends of long bones

Which part of the bone marrow does erythropoietin stimulate to produce red blood cells?

Blood glucose

Besides waste excretion, blood pressure and red blood cell production, what else does the kidney help regulate?

Renal cortex, renal medulla, and renal capsule

What are the three main parts of the kidney visible in a sagittal view?

Renal capsule

Which is the outermost layer of the kidney?

Renal cortex and renal medulla

Where are some hormones produced in relation to the kidney structure?

Nephron

What is the functional unit of the kidney?

Nephron

Where does filtration take place in the kidney?

Cardiovascular system

Through what system does fluid come into the kidney?

Bowman's capsule

Where does fluid from the cardiovascular system get shunted to in the kidney?

Glomerulus

After the Bowman's capsule, where does the fluid go?

Glomerular filtration, tubular reabsorption, tubular secretion

What are the three main processes required for urine formation?

180 liters

Approximately how much fluid do the kidneys process daily?

They go through peritubular capillaries

What happens to substances too large to be filtered in the glomerulus?

Albumin and red blood cells

Name two substances that bypass the glomerulus due to their size.

Fluid regulation

What role do ADH and aldosterone play in the filtration process?

Proximal convoluted tubule

Where does most reabsorption of fluid occur in the nephron?

Small amount of select substances

What type of substances move from the peritubular capillary into the tubules during secretion?

Potassium, hydrogen ions, uric acid, ammonium ions, and drugs

Name three substances that are secreted by the kidneys.

Acidosis

What is indicated by a high level of hydrogen ions?

Alkalosis

What is indicated by a low level of hydrogen ions?

Some medications are filtered through the kidneys, and damage can lead to toxic levels.

Why is it important to know if a patient has kidney damage when administering medication?

Blood pressure

What is a good indicator of fluid balance?

High

If there is too much fluid, would blood pressure be high or low?

Low

If there is too little fluid, would blood pressure be high or low?

How much fluid it will reabsorb or not reabsorb

How do kidneys maintain homeostasis in relation to fluid?

Osmoreceptors

What are the chemical receptors that function on how we reabsorb and retain fluid?

ADH, aldosterone, and angiotensin II/renin

Besides osmoreceptors, what hormones affect fluid reabsorption?

Salt-retaining hormone

What is aldosterone referred to as?

Reabsorbs it

What does aldosterone do to sodium and water?

Expands blood volume

How does aldosterone affect blood volume?

Makes it go up

How does aldosterone affect blood pressure?

Encourages excretion

What does aldosterone do to potassium?

Diuretics

What are water pills called?

Keeps you from losing a lot of fluid

What does antidiuretic mean?

Posterior pituitary

Where is antidiuretic hormone (ADH) released?

Low blood pressure or increased blood concentration

What causes the release of ADH?

Out of the collecting duct to tissue spaces

Where does water move to when ADH is released?

Interstitial

What type of fluid fills the tissue spaces?

Decreased sodium content/blood pressure

What stimulates renin production?

Angiotensin II

What does renin allow to be produced?

Vasoconstriction, increased ADH, increased aldosterone

List three ways angiotensin raises blood pressure.

Distal tubule

Where does aldosterone work in the nephron?

Collecting duct

Where does ADH work in the nephron?

Proximal tubule, distal tubule, and collecting tubule

Where is fluid being reabsorbed in the nephron unit?

They constrict

What happens to vessels when angiotensin II renin activates?

It increases

What happens to water retention if you eat a lot of salt?

You're holding on to fluid.

Why might fingers and toes swell after eating a lot of salt?

Interstitial fluid

What extracellular compartment is fluid found in the tissues?

Plasma, Lymph, Interstitial, and Transcellular

Name four types of fluids found in the body.

Positive

What charge do cations have?

Negative

What charge do anions have?

Intracellular

Which fluid compartment has the most fluid?

95%

What percentage of urine is water?

5%

What percentage of urine is dissolved solids and gases?

Around 6 (acidic)

What is the average pH of urine?

Dissolved substances

What does specific gravity measure in urine?

7.35-7.45

What is the normal blood pH range?

Less than 7.35

At what pH is blood considered acidotic?

Greater than 7.45

At what pH is blood considered alkalotic?

Buffer

What is the term for a substance that prevents a sharp change in hydrogen ion concentration?

High levels of hydrogen ions

What does a high level of CO2 indicate?

It becomes more alkalotic

If someone vomits, what happens to their pH?

Buffers, respiration, and kidneys

List three ways the body maintains pH balance.

CO2 levels

What does respiration control in terms of pH balance?

Hydrogen ions and bicarbonate

What do kidneys regulate in terms of pH balance?

Balance

The kidneys plays a role in acid base __

Blood pressure

The kidneys help regulate __ because of how it controls fluid.

Erythropoietin

The kidneys regulate red blood cell production because it excretes __.

Distal ends

Erythropoietin stimulates the bone marrow in our the __ of our long bones to produce red blood cells

Capsule

We have the renal __ which is the outer layer of the Kidney.

Nephron

The functioning unit of the kidney is the __

Cardiovascular

Fluid comes in through our __system because that's how everything is transported

Bowman's, Glomerulus

Fluid gets shunted to the capsule and it goes through the

Glomerular

In order for us to form urine, three things have to happen. We have __ filtration, which happens in the glomerulus

Reabsorption

In order for us to form urine, three things have to happen. We have tubular __

Secretion

In order for us to form urine, three things have to happen. We have tubular __

Peritubular

Things that may be too large to be filtered over will go through these __ capillaries and then join into the collecting ductule.

Reabsorption

Most __ of fluid is gonna happen right here in the proximal convoluted tubule.

Hydrogen

Things that are secreted or separated out are potassium, __ ions

Acidosis

If we have a lot of hydrogen ions, we got __

Alkalosis

If we have few hydrogen ions, we got __

Toxic

If a patient is on medications that get filtered through the Kidney and they have kidney damage, they could end up with __ levels because we can't filter it out.

Low

If we got too little few fluid, blood pressure would be __

Osmoreceptors

We have chemical receptors called __

Salt

Aldosterone is referred to as the __ retaining hormone

Antidiuretic hormone or ADH

__ is released in the posterior pituitary, which is in our brain, because our blood pressure has gotten low or because our blood concentration has increased.

Down

We have decreased sodium content, therefore blood pressure is going to go __

Swelling

If you have a diet high in salt, what might you expect in your fingers and toes? __

One third, two thirds

Extracelluar fluid is of the amount of fluid in the body, intrcelluar is

Six

The pH of urine, the average is around a __