(urinary)Renal Physiology and Fluid Balance

Urinary System Function

Controls concentration of body fluids, detoxifies harmful substances, and regulates acid-base balance.

Solute

Substance dissolved in a solvent; in the human body, primarily involves water.

Nephron

Functional unit of the kidney where filtration, reabsorption, and secretion occur.

Filtration at Renal Corpuscle

The process of pushing a substance across a membrane; kidney capillaries are exceptionally leaky.

Erythropoietin (EPO)

Hormone released by the kidneys in response to low oxygen to increase red blood cell production.

Renin

An enzyme secreted by kidneys that helps regulate blood pressure.

Osmosis

Movement of water across a membrane from an area of lower solute concentration to higher.

Glucosuria

Presence of glucose in urine, indicating that blood glucose levels are too high.

Cerebral Edema

Swelling of the brain due to excessive water intake, potentially leading to fatal outcomes.

Countercurrent exchanger

A mechanism that involves the exchange of solutes and water between fluids flowing in opposite directions, aiding in the concentration of urine and the establishment of a sodium concentration gradient

Countercurrent multiplier

mechanism in the Loop of Henle that creates a sodium concentration gradient in the kidney, which is crucial for the reabsorption of water and the concentration of urine

osmolarity at its highest