6 The Renal System Free Online FlashCards

What is the kidney’s functional unit?

A nephron is the kidney’s functional unit; each kidney contains roughly a million.

What structures make up the renal corpuscle?

The renal corpuscle consists of a glomerulus enclosed by Bowman’s capsule.

What route does urine take from the collecting ducts out of the body?

Urine flows from collecting ducts to the renal pelvis, through the ureters to the bladder, then exits through the urethra.

What drives glomerular filtration, and what enters Bowman’s capsule?

Blood pressure drives water and small dissolved substances from glomerular capillaries into Bowman’s capsule.

Which blood components normally stay in the bloodstream during filtration?

Blood cells and most large proteins normally remain in the bloodstream rather than entering the filtrate.

What does the glomerular filtration rate measure?

The glomerular filtration rate (GFR) is the volume of fluid filtered per minute.

What happens during tubular reabsorption?

Tubular reabsorption moves useful substances from the filtrate back into the blood, including most filtered water and sodium.

What normally happens to filtered glucose in the kidney?

Normally, nearly all filtered glucose is reabsorbed from the tubule into the blood.

What is tubular secretion?

Tubular secretion moves substances from the blood into the tubule, including hydrogen ions, some potassium, drugs, and wastes.

How does ADH help the body conserve water?

Antidiuretic hormone (ADH) increases collecting-duct permeability to water, promoting water reabsorption and more concentrated urine.

What conditions can activate the renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system?

Reduced kidney perfusion or reduced sodium chloride delivery to parts of the nephron can activate the renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system.

What are key effects of angiotensin II in the RAAS?

Angiotensin II supports blood pressure and promotes sodium retention; it also stimulates aldosterone release.