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Renal System Overview
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Renal System Overview
Renal System Overview
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1
Question
What are the main functions of the renal system?
Answer
1. Regulation of the balance between water and electrolytes. 2. Regulation of acid-base balance. 3. Excretion of metabolic wastes. 4. Excretion of many bioactive substances and drugs. 5. Secretion of renin. 6. Secretion of erythropoietin. 7. Conversion of the steroid prohormone vitamin D to 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 or calcitriol. 8. Gluconeogenesis during starvation or periods of prolonged fasting.
2
Question
What is renin and its function?
Answer
Renin is a protease important for the regulation of blood pressure by cleaving circulating angiotensinogen to angiotensin I.
3
Question
What is erythropoietin?
Answer
Erythropoietin is a glycoprotein growth factor that stimulates erythrocyte production in red marrow when the blood O2 level is low.
4
Question
What is 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3?
Answer
1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 is the active form of steroid prohormone vitamin D.
5
Question
What are the structural features of the kidneys?
Answer
The kidneys have a convex and concave surface; the hilum is a concave medial border where nerves enter, the ureter exits, and blood and lymph vessels enter and exit.
6
Question
What are the components of the renal pelvis?
Answer
The renal pelvis includes major calyces, which are divided extensions of the renal pelvis, and minor calyces, which are small branches from each major calyx.
7
Question
What does the renal cortex contain?
Answer
The renal cortex contains a darker stained region with many round corpuscles and tubule cross sections.
8
Question
What is the renal medulla composed of?
Answer
The renal medulla consists mostly of aligned linear tubules and ducts.
9
Question
What are renal pyramids?
Answer
Renal pyramids are 8-15 conical structures inside a renal medulla.
10
Question
What is the corticomedullary junction?
Answer
The corticomedullary junction is where all the bases of the renal pyramids meet with the renal cortex.
11
Question
What are renal columns?
Answer
Renal columns are extensions of the renal cortex that separate each renal medulla.
12
Question
Define renal lobe.
Answer
A renal lobe consists of a renal pyramid, renal cortex, and renal column.
13
Question
What are medullary rays?
Answer
Medullary rays are parallel ducts and tubules extending from the medulla into the cortex.
14
Question
What are renal lobules composed of?
Answer
Renal lobules comprise medullary rays and renal cortex.
15
Question
What is the renal papilla?
Answer
The renal papilla is the tip of each renal pyramid that projects into a minor calyx that collects urine formed by tubules in one renal lobe.
16
Question
How many nephrons are typically found in each kidney?
Answer
There are 1 to 4 million nephrons in each kidney.
17
Question
What are the major divisions of each nephron?
Answer
1. Renal corpuscle 2. Proximal tubule 3. Loop of Henle (Thin ascending and Thin descending) 4. Distal tubule 5. Connecting tubule.
18
Question
What is the function of the renal corpuscle?
Answer
The renal corpuscle is the initial dilated part enclosing a tuft of capillary loops where blood filtration occurs and is always located in the cortex.
19
Question
What is the structure of the proximal tubule?
Answer
The proximal tubule is a long-convoluted part located entirely in the cortex, with a shorter straight part that enters the medulla.
20
Question
Describe the loop of Henle.
Answer
The loop of Henle, also known as the nephron loop, is U-shaped and located in the medulla, consisting of a thin descending and a thin ascending limb.
21
Question
What are the two types of nephrons?
Answer
1. Cortical nephrons, located at the renal cortex. 2. Juxtamedullary nephrons, which lie close to the medulla and have long loops of Henle.
22
Question
What is polycystic kidney disease?
Answer
Polycystic kidney disease is an inherited disorder where the normal cortical organization of both kidneys is lost, leading to the formation of multiple large, fluid-filled cysts.
23
Question
What is the renal artery?
Answer
The renal artery in each kidney divides into two or more segmental arteries at the hilum.
24
Question
What are interlobar arteries?
Answer
Interlobar arteries are branched segmental arteries that extend between the renal pyramids toward the corticomedullary junction.
25
Question
What are arcuate arteries?
Answer
Arcuate arteries are branched interlobar arteries that run in an arc along the corticomedullary junction.
26
Question
What are afferent arterioles?
Answer
Afferent arterioles are microvascular branches of interlobular arteries that supply blood to the glomeruli.
27
Question
What is the glomerulus?
Answer
The glomerulus is a plexus of capillary loops that comes from divided afferent arterioles, located within a renal corpuscle where blood filtration occurs.
28
Question
What are efferent arterioles?
Answer
Efferent arterioles are where the filtered blood from glomerular arteries drains.
29
Question
What are peritubular capillaries?
Answer
Peritubular capillaries are branches of efferent arterioles distributed throughout the renal cortex and associated with convoluted tubules.
30
Question
What is the vasa recta?
Answer
Vasa recta are straight capillary loops that penetrate deep into the medulla, associated with the Loop of Henle and collecting ducts.