Random Kidney Info :D
What is the functional unit of the kidney?
The nephron
What are the two most common causes of CKD in America?
Diabetes and hypertension
What structure connects the kidneys to the bladder?
The ureters
What is the chemical process by which the kidneys reabsorb water and concentrate urine?
Osmosis
What structure performs most of the filtration within the nephron?
Glomerulus (or, glomerular capillaries)
Nephrolithiasis
In people with diabetes, what molecule do the kidneys filter out of the blood and into the urine in higher-than-normal concentrations?
Glucose
Regulating fluid balance and electrolyte levels
What mineral concentration is heavily regulated by the kidneys?
Salt
What do the kidneys secrete in response to low blood volume in order to raise blood volume (and thus blood pressure)
Renin, to kick off the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS)
What do doctors need to consider when treating patients with declining kidney function?
Drug dosages, because patients cannot metabolize drugs at a normal rate
What is the primary treatment for those with declining kidney function that involves removing blood, filtering it through a machine, and pumping it back into the body?
Dialysis
What state of equilibrium or balance does the kidney play a key role in?
Homeostasis
Osmolarity/concentration
What structure connects the proximal convoluted tubule to the distal convoluted tubule?
The Loop of Henle
What is the name of the condition where the kidneys fail to produce urine, often indicating severe kidney issues?
Anuria
What is the primary surgery used to treat severe cases of renal failure?
A kidney transplant (fun fact: they don't even remove the bad kidney, they leave it in to atrophy!)
Which structures (in order) allow blood to enter the kidneys from circulation and then exit the kidneys after filtration?
Renal arteries; renal veins
What chemical element found in bananas and citrus should people with CKD avoid?
Potassium (because the kidneys aren't filtering it out and it builds up)
In the Loop of Henle, what two directions does the filtrate flow in?
Down the descending loop, then up the ascending loop
In the countercurrent multiplier system of the kidneys, how does the flow of blood compare to the flow of filtrate?
They flow in opposite directions to continually reabsorb water
What type of diabetes is the most common type in children and occurs when the pancreas makes little to no insulin?
Type 1 diabetes
What is the final reabsorption site in the nephron?
What is the name of the system the kidneys use to reabsorb water via concentration gradients?
The countercurrent-multiplier system
What structure catches the filtrate produced by the glomerulus and sends it to nephron tubules for further processing?
Bowman's Capsule