Kidney Functions

Filters 200 liters, 120ml/min blood/day

Urea, uric acid, creatinine, excess ions (Na+, K+,

Cl-, HCO3-, H+) excreted in:

2 liters/day urine

Regulates blood volume, blood chemicals

Maintains balance:

Water : Salts

Acids : Bases

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Other Renal Functions

Gluconeogenesis- in prolonged fasting

Renin regulates BP

Erythropoietin - RBC production

Activation of vitamin D

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Other Urinary System Organs

Urinary bladder temporary storage for urine

Paired ureters transports urine; kidneys to bladder

Urethra transports urine; bladder out of the body

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Urinary System Organs

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Figure 25.1a

Kidney Location and External Anatomy

Retroperitoneal position in superior lumbar region

Right kidney- lower than the left

Ureters, renal blood vessels, lymphatics, & nerves enter &

exit at the hilum

Renal capsule fibrous capsule; prevents outside of

kidneys from infection

Adipose capsule cushions, holds kidnesy in place; rapid

wt loss & ptosis (dropped kidney)

Renal fascia outer layer of dense fibrous connective

tissue; anchors kidney within the body

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Kidney Location and External Anatomy

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Figure 25.2a

Internal Anatomy
9. Peritubular
capillaries, vasa recta

7. glomerulus
8. Efferent arteriole

6. Afferent arteriole
10.
5.
11.
4.
12.
3.
2.

1.
13.

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Figure 25.3b

Blood and Nerve Supply

About of systemic cardiac output flows through

kidneys/minute; ~ 1200 ml

Arterial flow into and venous flow out of the

kidneys follow similar paths

The nerve supply is via the renal plexus

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Renal Vascular Pathway

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Figure 25.3c

Internal Anatomy
9. Peritubular
capillaries/ Vasa recta

7. glomerulus
8. Efferent arteriole

6. Afferent arteriole
10.
5.
11.
4.
12.
3.
2.

1.
13.

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Figure 25.3b

The Nephron

Structural & functional units of kidneys

> 106 nephrons/kidney

1. Glomerulus a tuft of capillaries

2. A renal tubule
PCT, decending loop of Henle, loop,
ascending loop of Henle, DCT, collecting duct

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The Nephron

Bowmans (glomerular) capsule surrounds

glomerulus

Renal corpuscle the glomerulus & Bowmans

capsule

Bowmans space- space between glomerulus &

Bowmans capsule where filtrate is collected

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The Nephron
Thick loop, Ascending loop- cuboidal, short
microvilli; permeable to solutes, esp NaCl, not to
water
1.

Filtration slits allow filtrate to pass into

2. Bowmans space
PCT- Cuboidal, microvilli; Reabsorbs
H20 & solutes from filtrate; Brush
border cells-fuzzy
DCT- Cuboidal, scant microvilli;
secretion; Late DCT 2 cell types
Thin loop- Simple squamous- > H20
permeable, not solutes
Medullary Collecting Duct- Cuboidal,
permeable to water & urea

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Figure 25.4a, b

Late DCT & Collecting Ducts

2 Cell Types
1. Intercalated cells

Cuboidal cells, microvilli

Maintain acid-base balance by H+ secretion

2. Principal cells- regulated by hormones

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Cuboidal cells, no microvilli

Maintain water- salt balance

Medullary collecting duct, regulate [urea]

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Nephrons- 2 Types
1. Cortical nephrons- Bowmans capsule in cortex

Make up 85% of all nephrons

Surrounded by Peritubular capillary beds

2. Juxtamedullary nephrons- Bowmans @ cortex-medulla

junction

Loops of Henle lie deep in medulla

> thin segments

Concentrate urine

Surrounded by Vasa Recta

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Capillary Beds

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Figure 25.5a

Capillary Beds of the Nephron

Every nephron has two capillary beds

Glomerulus

Peritubular capillaries or Vasa Recta

Each glomerulus is:

Fed by an afferent arteriole

Drained by an efferent arteriole

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Capillary Beds of the Nephron

Glomerulus BP is high:

Arterioles are high-resistance vessels

Afferent arterioles > diameters than efferent

arterioles

Fluids & solutes are forced out of blood & into

filtrate throughout entire length of glomerulus

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Capillary Beds

Peritubular beds:

Low-pressure, porous capillaries for absorption

Arise from efferent arterioles of cortical nephrons

Empty into the renal venous system

Vasa recta : (a type of peritubular capillary bed)

Arise from efferent arterioles of juxtamedullary nephrons

Capillaries are long, straight vessels

Concentrate urine

Empty into the renal venous system

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Nephron Anatomy

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Figure 25.5a

Vascular Resistance in Microcirculation

Blood pressure < from 95mm Hg in renal arteries

to 8 mm Hg in renal veins

Resistance in afferent arterioles:

Protects glomeruli from fluctuations in systemic

blood pressure

Resistance in efferent arterioles:

Reinforces high glomerular pressure

Reduces hydrostatic pressure in peritubular

capillaries

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Juxtaglomerular Apparatus (JGA)

Maintains constant GFR; protects glomerulus from

changes in systemic BP; regulates systemic BP

Site where ascending loop of Henle lies next to afferent

arteriole

Juxtaglomerular (JG) cells (or granular cells) in arteriole

walls

Large, smooth muscle cells

Secrete renin

Mechanoreceptors

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Juxtaglomerular Apparatus (JGA)

Macula densa cells

Tall, packed ascending tubule cells

Lie adjacent to JG cells

Chemoreceptors/osmoreceptors; NaCl sensors

Mesanglial cells:

Functions poorly understood

Have phagocytic and contractile properties

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Juxtaglomerular Apparatus (JGA)

JG cells or

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Figure 25.6

Filtration Membrane

Between blood & Bowmans space

Three layers

Fenestrated endothelium of glomerular capillaries

Visceral membrane of glomerular capsule

(podocytes)

Basement membrane composed of fused basal

laminae of the other layers

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Filtration Membrane 3 layers

2.

1.
3. Fused basement
membrane between other 2
layers

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Figure 25.7a

Filtration Membrane

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Figure 25.7c

Mechanisms of Urine Formation

Blood volume filters through kidneys 60X/day

Filtrate:

All plasma components except protein

Urine:

Filtrate after losing water, wastes, ions

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Mechanisms of Urine Formation

Urine formation:
3 major processes
1. Glomerular
filtration
2. Tubular
reabsorption
3. Tubular
Secretion

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Figure 25.8

Glomerular Filtration

> efficient than other capillary beds because:

Filtration membrane > permeable

Glomerular blood pressure is higher

> net filtration pressure

Plasma proteins not filtered; maintain oncotic

pressure inside capillaries

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Net Filtration Pressure (NFP)

NFP = net filtration pressure

HPg = glomerular hydrostatic pressure

OPg = oncotic pressure of glomerular blood

HPc = capsular hydrostatic pressure

NFP = HPg (OPg + HPc)

55 (30 + 15)
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Net Filtration Pressure

NFP =55 (30 + 15)

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Figure 25.9

Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR)

Volume of filtrate formed per minute

Factors:
1. Total surface area available for filtration
2. Filtration membrane permeability
3. Net filtration pressure

GFR directly proportional to the NFP

Changes usually from changes in glomerular blood

pressure (glomerular hydrostatic pressure)

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Regulation of Glomerular Filtration

Three mechanisms control the GFR
Intrinsic system
1. Renal autoregulation
Extrinsic system
2. Neural controls
3. Hormonal mechanism (renin-angiotensin system)

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Regulation of Glomerular Filtration: Intrinsic Controls

Autoregulation:

Myogenic

> BP, constricts afferent arteriole

< BP, dilates afferent arteriole

Flow-dependent tubuloglomerular feedback

Macula densa of juxtaglomerular apparatus

responds to [NaCl] in filtrate

Results from too fast or too slow GFR

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Regulation of Glomerular Filtration

If the GFR is too high:

Needed substances not reabsorbed

Nutrients, electrolytes, etc. lost in the urine

If the GFR is too low:

Everything is reabsorbed

Waste is kept in blood, not excreted in urine

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Regulation of GFR: Extrinsic Controls: Neural

Autoregulation mechanisms prevail UNLESS:

Fight or Flight response, Blood loss, sytemic BP

changes, etc. & then SNS overrides autoreg.

Catecholamines released, constrict afferent

arterioles, < GFR; blood shunted to other organs

When fluid volume restored, autoreg restored,

normal GFR

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Regulation of GFR: Extrinsic: Hormonal:

Renin- Angiotensin

< BP, < [NaCl] in DCT, SNS stimulation induces JG cells to

release renin

JG cells release renin

angiotensin I

angiotensin II

1. > BP (vasoconstriction)
2. Aldosterone release (> Na++, > H20, >BP)
3. ADH release, thirst activation, > H20, > BP
4. Constriction of efferent arteriole, < peritubular capillary
hydrostatic pressure, > fluid back in blood, > BP
5. Mesangial cells contract, < GFR

For systemic regulation of BP & fluid volume

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Other Factors Affecting GFR

Prostaglandins (PGE2 and PGI2)- Produced in

kidneys; Vasodilators produced in response to
sympathetic stimulation and angiotensin II; protect
kidneys

ANP- by heart with > BP, > blood volume; < fluid
volume by > Na+ secretion

Nitric oxide vasodilator produced by the vascular

endothelium

Adenosine vasoconstrictor of renal vasculature

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Regulation of GFR

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Figure 25.10

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