The Urinary System: Renal Function

10/29/2011 4:19:00 AM

Functions of the Urinary System 1. Regulation of plasma ionic concentration i. Increasing or decreasing the excretion of different ions in the plasma I. Sodium II. Potassium III. Calcium IV. Magnesium V. Chloride VI. Bicarbonate VII. Phosphates 2. Regulation of plasma volume i. Controlling the rate at which water is excreted in the urine, that has an effect on total blood volume and thus on blood pressure 3. Regulation of plasma osmolarity i. Control of water excretion influences the solute concentration of plasma 4. Regulation of plasma hydrogen concentration i. By regulating the concentration of bicarbonate and hydrogen ions, along with the lungs, they regulate the pH 5. Removal of metabolic waste products and foreign substances from the plasma i. Clear the plasma of wastes and other undesirable substances in the urine Kidneys regulate the volume and composition of interstitial fluid as a result of their regulatory control over plasma o Changes in the IF will affect the intracellular fluid Kidneys control the volume and composition of all the bodys fluids

Endocrine Functions Erythropoietin, that stimulates RBC production by the bone marrow Renin, production of angiotensin, which regulates salt and water balance for long-term control of blood pressure

Activation of vitamin D3, important in regulating blood calcium and phosphate levels Fasting: maintain to a steady supply of plasma glucose by carrying out gluconeogenesis

Anatomy of the Urinary System Structures o 2 Kidneys o 2 Ureters o Urinary Bladder o Urethra Positioned at about the level of the 12 rib Retroperitoneal: in between the peritoneum and wall of the abdominal cavity Renal arteries branching from the aorta, and enter the kidney at the renal hilus 115-170 grams 20 % of cardiac output during rest, 16% of body ATP Blood returns to the circulation via the real veins, parallel to real arteries and drain into the inferior vena cava Macroscopic Anatomy Regions o Cortex o Medulla Renal Pyramids Papillae: tips of the renal pyramids Nephron Functional unit of the kidney (filter blood and collect unit) Renal Tubule o Fluid composition is modified by exchange with the interstitial fluid Collecting Ducts o Drainage of fluid from individual Minor calyces

 Site of drainage of collecting ducts Major calyces Convergence of minor calyces Drain into the renal pelvis Microscopic Anatomy of the Kidney Nephron o Renal Corpuscle Site of blood filtration and origin of tubular fluid (filtrate) Before filtration, blood enters the glomerular capillaries via an afferent arteriole Flowing through the glomerular capillaries, protein-free plasma filters across the walls of the capillaries into Bowmans capsules (glomerular filtration) Remaining blood leaves the glomerulus via an efferent arteriole Cells of the arterioles contain smooth muscle that can contract or relax in response to paracrines and SNS Bowmans capsule

Glomerulus o Renal Tubule Proximal Convoluted Tubule Loop of Henle Descending limb Thin ascending limb Thick ascending limb Distal Convoluted Tubule Connecting Tubule Joins the nephron with the collecting duct Cortical and Juxtamedullary Nephrons o Cortical Nephron Vast majority, located within the renal cortex, with only the tip of the Loop of Henle entering into the medulla region o Juxtamedullary Nephron

Renal corpuscle located in the border, between the cortex and the medulla Maintain osmotic gradient in the renal medulla, important for the production of highly concentrated urine, thus water conservation Juxtaglomerular Apparatus o Macula Densa Specialized cluster of the tubules epithelial cells o Granular (Juxtaglomerular) cells Specialized cells on the wall of the afferent arteriole, and to a minor degree in the efferent Granular cytoplasm due to the presence of numerous secretory granules containing Renin Important in regulating blood volume an blood pressure Blood supply to the kidney o Renal artery> segmental arteries > Interlobar arteries> Arcuate arteries > Interlobular arteries o From interlobular arteries blood is carried to individual nephrons by the afferent arterioles o Peritubular capillaries Capillary bed that branch from the efferent arterioles of cortical nephrons and are located close to the renal tubules o Vasa Recta Capillary bed that branch from the efferent arterioles of juxtamedullary nephrons and run along the Loop of Henle and collecting ducts, dipping into the renal medulla

o Peritubular capillaries and Vasa recta drain into the interlobular veins, followed by arcuate veins and interlobar veins, running parallel to their artery counterparts Basic Renal Exchange Processes

10/29/2011 4:19:00 AM

10/29/2011 4:19:00 AM