General
Structures
Processes
About the Kidney
Functions
100
How many openings are in the bladder?
Three
100
What organ is this?
Bladder
100
What is micturition? What allows it to happen?
1. The process of excreting urine
2. Both opened sphincters
100
What is the functional and structural unit of a kidney?
Nephrons
100
What is the function of the bladder?
To temporarily store urine
200
What is the gender difference between the urethras?
1. Female urethras only carry urine
2. Male urethras carry urine and allows sperm to pass
200
What tube does urine exit out of?
The urethra
200
What is the first step in urine formation? Describe it.
Filtration - a nonselective passive process that removes solutes from the blood
200
What is the glomerulus?
A capillary bed attached to the arterioles and filters the blood
200
What is the role of the spinal cord?
An impulse is sent to the spinal cord and is sent back to the sphincters to open and release urine.
300
Why is the urinary system essential to our well-being?
It cleans our impurities and blood throughout our bodies. It regulates homeostasis and electrolytes, too!
300
What tubes carry the urine to the bladder?
The ureters
300
What is the second step of urine formation?
Reabsorption - an active and passive process where capillaries reabsorb materials like water, glucose, ions, and amino acids
300
How long does it typically take for the kidneys to develop and be functional after birth?
By three months
300
What are the two main functions of the urinary system?
Eliminate waste products and regulate homeostasis
400
What purpose does the adrenal gland have in the urinary system?
It produces aldosterone hormones that signal the kidneys to absorb more sodium and release potassium in the urine. It influences the urge to urinate.
400
What is peristalsis?
A contraction of the ureter to help urine move to the bladder
400
What is the third step of urine formation?
Secretion - where materials, such as hydrogen ions, move to renal tubules and others go towards the ureter
400
What are the coverings of the kidney?
1. Renal capsule
2. Adipose capsule
400
What do the coverings of the kidney do?
1. Keep kidneys in place
2. Surround it to protect it
500
What are the water balance disorders?
1. Water dehydration - the output of water > input of water
2. Water intoxication - the output of water < the input of water
3. Edema - abnormal accumulation of extracellular fluid
*Urine should be somewhat clear! Drink just enough water!*
500
What muscles control the release of urine?
The internal and external urethral sphincter
500
On a cellular level, what is the process of the urinary system? Think loop of Henle.
On a nephron level:
- renal corpuscle
- then to the renal tubules: proximal convoluted tubule
- down to the loop of Henle
- to the distal convoluted tubule
- and finally to the collecting duct.
500
What are the regions of the kidney?
1. Renal cortex
2. Renal medulla
3. Renal pelvis
500
How are electrolytes and water regulated?
Through hormones!
eg. antidiuretic hormones, aldosterone