Urinary System!

Question 1

How much water is in the body, on average?

Answer 1

About 40 liters.

Question 2

What are the functions of the kidney?

Answer 2

• Filter blood
• Remove waste
• Regulate BP
• Balance electrolytes
• Release hormones (EPO, renin)
• Regulate pH

Question 3

What % of body weight is water?

Answer 3

Roughly 50–60%.

Question 4

What are the parts of the kidney?

Answer 4

Cortex, medulla, renal pyramids, renal pelvis, calyces, renal capsule.

Question 5

Where does urine go after the kidneys? Where after that?

Answer 5

Kidneys → Ureters → Bladder → Urethra.

Question 6

Understand the micturition reflex:

Answer 6

Bladder stretches → signals spinal cord → detrusor muscle contracts → internal sphincter relaxes → external sphincter is voluntarily controlled.

Question 6

What is an atonic bladder?

Answer 6

Bladder that cannot contract.

Question 7

What are the two major parts of the kidney?

Answer 7

• Renal cortex
• Renal medulla

Question 8

What is an automatic bladder?

Answer 8

Loss of voluntary control—reflex emptying happens automatically.

Question 9

What parts make up the medulla? What do they do?

Answer 9

• Renal pyramids – contain tubules for urine formation
• Renal columns – separate pyramids and contain blood vessels

Question 10

What is a nephron?

Answer 10

The functional unit of the kidney that makes urine.

Question 11

What waste products do nephrons clear out of plasma?

Answer 11

Urea, creatinine, uric acid, drugs, toxins.

Question 12

Understand the structure of a nephron and function of each part:

Answer 12

• Glomerulus – filtration
• Bowman’s capsule – collects filtrate
• PCT – reabsorption of nutrients
• Loop of Henle – concentrates urine
• DCT – secretion and final adjustments
• Collecting duct – carries urine to renal pelvis

Question 13

What are the two types of nephrons?

Answer 13

Cortical and juxtamedullary.

Question 14

What is the hilus (hilum)?

Answer 14

The entry/exit site for vessels and ureter.

Question 15

What is a calyx?

Answer 15

A cup-shaped structure that collects urine from the pyramids.

Question 16

What is the vasa recta?

Answer 16

Capillaries that run along the Loop of Henle and help concentrate urine.

Question 17

What blood vessels go into and out of the kidney?

Answer 17

In: Renal artery
Out: Renal vein

Question 18

What vessel other than blood vessels comes out of the kidney? What does it carry?

Answer 18

The ureter—carries urine.