The kidney and fluid and electrolyte balance
How the kidney makes urine and keeps the body in balance: the nephron and the path of urine, filtration, reabsorption and secretion, the hormones that control them (ADH, aldosterone), how kidney function is measured and what its decline causes.
- 43 cards
- 5 topics
- Free
The outline, topic by topic
Each topic is weighted the way the exam weighs it.
- Concepts
- On the diagram
- The steps
- Scenarios
- Understand
A few cards from the deck
Nephron: what is it?
Show the answer
The kidney's functional unit, made of a glomerulus and a tubule; about a million per kidney.
Lost nephrons do not regrow.
The path of the filtrate to the bladder: which step comes after "Bowman's capsule"?
- Proximal convoluted tubule
- Loop of Henle
- Distal convoluted tubule
- Collecting duct
Show the answer
Proximal convoluted tubule
The filtrate turns into urine along the tubule, then the urinary tract carries it to the bladder.
Glomerular filtration: what is it?
Show the answer
The passage of plasma, without cells or large proteins, from the glomerulus into Bowman's capsule.
About 120 to 125 mL a minute, that is 170 to 180 litres a day in an adult.
A poorly controlled diabetic has glucose in the urine. Why?
- The kidney makes glucose
- The glomerulus is punctured
- ADH is lacking
- Blood sugar exceeds what the tubule can reabsorb (about 1.8 g/L)
Show the answer
Blood sugar exceeds what the tubule can reabsorb (about 1.8 g/L)
The proximal tubule's transporters are saturated: the excess spills into urine and draws water with it.