BIO 202

The Urinary System

Functions of the urinary
system Anatomy of the kidney Urine formation
glomerular filtration tubular reabsorption tubular secretion

Regulation of urine
production

Kidney Functions
Filters blood plasma, eliminates waste, returns useful
substances to blood
excretory system Urea

Nitrogenous wastes
Uric acid

protein catabolism nucleic acid catabolism creatine phosphate catabolism (phosphagen system) (phosphagen

Creatinine

Regulates blood volume, osmolarity and pressure S Secretes h hormones Regulates acid/base balance
erythropoietin, renin, processes vitamin D renin,

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Internal Anatomy of a Kidney

Renal cortex: outer 1 cm Renal medulla: renal columns, renal pyramids Lobe of kidney: pyramid and its overlying cortex

Blood Flow Through the Kidney

Renal artery
interlobar arteries (up renal columns, between lobes) arcuate arteries (over pyramids) i t l b l arteries (up interlobular t i ( into cortex) ** ** afferent arterioles ** ** glomerulus (cluster of capillaries) ** ** efferent arterioles (near medulla vasa recta) ** ** peritubular interlobular veins arcuate veins interlobar veins

capillaries

Renal vein

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Flow of Urine OUT of the Kidney

Flow of glomerular filtrate:
glomerular capsule PCT nephron loop DCT collecting duct papillary duct minor calyx major calyx renal pelvis ureter urinary bladder urethra tree

The Nephron

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Types of Nephrons

Cortical nephrons (85%)

short nephron loops produce majority of urine

Juxtamedullary nephrons (15%)

very long nephron loops, maintain salt gradient, helps conserve water

Renal Tubule
Proximal convoluted tubule (PCT)
longest, most coiled

Nephron loop - U shaped;

thick segment thin segment

majority of absorption ajo ty o abso pt o

descending and ascending limbs

active transport of salts very water permeable

Distal convoluted tubule (DCT) Collecting duct

hormonal regulation
several DCTs join

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Flow of Urine
Flow of glomerular filtrate:
glomerular capsule PCT nephron loop DCT collecting duct papillary duct minor calyx major calyx renal pelvis ureter urinary bladder urethra toilet

Schematic of Nephrons

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Urine Formation

Renal Corpuscle (Glomerular Capsule)

Glomerular filtrate collects in capsular space, flows into renal tubule

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Filtration Membrane
Fenestrated capillary
exclude larger particles i.e., g p , blood cells

Basement membrane
proteoglycans, excludes large proteoglycans, molecules i.e., proteins

plasma ~7% protein,

glomerular filtrate ~0.03%

Filtration slits (glomerular) (glomerular)

podocytes (glomerular cells) have pedicels (foot processes) with filtration slits, exclude even slits, smaller particles

Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR)

Filtrate formed per
minute GFR = NFP x Kf 180 L/day, male, 150 L/day,
female

filtration coefficient (Kf) depends on permeability and surface area of filtration membrane NFP = GCP (BP) COP - CP

99% of filtrate

reabsorbed during urine formation, 1 to 2 L urine excreted

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Effects of GFR Abnormalities

GFR, urine output rises dehydration, electrolyte
depletion GFR wastes reabsorbed (elevated Blood Urea Nitrogen possible) GFR controlled by adjusting glomerular blood pressure
autoregulation (local control) sympathetic nervous control hormonal control: renin and angiotensin II control:

Juxtaglomerular Apparatus

- vasomotion

- monitor salinity

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Renal Autoregulation of GFR

Myogenic mechanism
BP ( GFR) stretches ( afferent arteriole afferent arteriole constricts restores t i l ti t t GFR by restricting flow

Tubuloglomerular feedback
Macula densa on DCT monitors tubular fluid and signals juxtaglomerular cells (smooth muscle, surrounds afferent arteriole) to constrict afferent arteriole to GFR

Renal Autoregulation of GFR

If BP constrict afferent
arteriole, dilate efferent to BP If BP dilate afferent arteriole, constrict efferent to BP Effective for BP range of 80 to 170 mmHg (systolic) Cannot compensate for extreme BP

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Sympathetic Control of GFR

Strenuous exercise or acute conditions (circulatory
shock) stimulate afferent arterioles to constrict GFR and urine production, redirecting blood flow to heart, brain d k l t l h t b i and skeletal muscles l

Hormonal Control of GFR

from JG cells

-efferent arterioles

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Tubular Reabsorption and Secretion

Proximal Convoluted Tubules (PCT)

Reabsorbs 65% of filtrate into
peritubular capillaries

Great length, prominent microvilli and length

abundant mitochondria for active transport

Reabsorbs greater variety of chemicals

than other parts of nephron
transcellular route - through epithelial cells g p of PCT paracellular route - between epithelial cells of PCT

Transport maximum: when transport

proteins of cell membrane are saturated

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Reabsorption in the PCT

Facilitated

Reabsorption in the PCT

Filtrate Carrier molecule 2. Diffusion of Na+ from the lumen of the nephron into the nephron wall cell Higher Na
+

Lumen of nephron 5. Osmosis of water

3. Cotransport of other molecules or ions

4. Diffusion or facilitated Osmosis diffusion of water 1. Active transport of Na+ out of the cell into the interstitial space Lower Na+

Nephron wall cell

Higher Na+ Interstitial space

To peritubular capillaries

Water absorbed by osmosis and carries other solutes

with it (solvent drag)
obligatory water reabsorption

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Peritubular Capillaries

Blood has high osmotic pressure in capillaries around

PCT, and BP is only 8 mm Hg (or lower when constricted by angiotensin II); this favors reabsorption (movement of water into blood)

The Nephron Loop

Primary function of nephron loop
water conservation (juxtamedullary nephrons) (juxtamedullary nephrons) generates salinity gradient, allows collecting duct to l d ll ll d concentrate urine also involved in electrolyte reabsorption some secretion of waste catecholamines, urea, uric acid, bile salts, ammonia, catecholamines, many
drugs

Acid-base balance Acid-

secretion of hydrogen and bicarbonate ions regulates pH of body fluids

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DCT and Collecting Duct

Receptors for hormones Hormones
salt and water balance 1. 1 Renin BP renin release angiotensin II formation angiotensin II stimulates adrenal cortex to secrete 2. Aldosterone promotes Na+ reabsorption promotes water
reabsorption urine volume BP aldosterone

DCT and Collecting Duct

3.

ADH
dehydration stimulates hypothalamohypophyseal axis to release ADH ADH water reabsorption, urine volume, BP

4. 4

Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) (opposing effect)

BP stimulates right atrium to secrete ANP promotes Na+ and water excretion, urine volume, blood volume, BP
inhibits renin/angiotensin/aldosterone pathway

5.

Effect of PTH
blood Ca2+ calcium reabsorption in kidney l i b i i kid new bone formation stimulates kidney production of calcitriol (vitamin D)

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Secretion and Effects of ADH

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Water Conservation

Recaptures NaCl and returns

it to renal medulla (maintaining high osmolarity of deep medulla) medulla) Descending limb
reabsorbs water from t b l b b t f tubule but not salt concentrates tubular fluid

Countercurrent Multiplier

Ascending limb

Recycling of urea: CD
medulla CD

actively reabsorbs Na+, K+, and Cl- from nephron impermeable to water maintains high osmolarity of renal medulla l d ll tubular fluid becomes more dilute

urea accounts for 40% of high osmolarity of medulla

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Countercurrent Exchange System

Formed by vasa recta (blood
vessels)
provide blood supply to medulla id bl d l t d ll without removing NaCl from medulla

Descending capillaries
water diffuses out of blood NaCl diffuses into blood

Ascending capillaries
water diff t diffuses i t bl d into blood NaCl diffuses out of blood

Maintenance of Osmolarity in Renal Medulla

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Collecting Duct (CD) Concentrates Urine

Very high

osmolarity of deep medulla draws water out of CD

Generated by countercurrent multiplier Maintained by countercurrent exchange

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