GENERAL FUNCTIONS OF THE KIDNEYS

AND EXCRETORY SYSTEM.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

At the end of Lecture, students will be able to know:

1) Introduction to the Excretory System.0

2) The parts of the Excretory System.

3) The Histology of the Functional unit Nephron.

4) The Primary functions of the Kidneys.

5) The process achieving the functions.

Gross Anatomy of the Kidney.

Major Functions of the Kidneys:

1. Regulation of:

body fluid osmolarity and volume

electrolyte balance

acid-base balance

blood pressure

2. Excretion of

metabolic products

foreign substances (pesticides, chemicals etc.)

excess substances (water, etc)

3. Secretion of

erythropoitin

1,25-dihydroxy vitamin D3 (vitamin D activation)

renin
 prostaglandin

Physiological Anatomy of Kidney:

1)Two on either side ,each weighing 150 gms in an adult.

2)Bean shaped indentation in the middle of its medial side - HILUM

3)Renal artery ,vein ,ureter,lymphatic and nerves enter/exit via the hilum.

LONGITUDINAL SECTION:

1) It shows two zones 1)cortex 2)medulla

MODULLARY ZONE:

1) It shows pyramid shaped structure called Pyramids. The narrow apex fits into a small tube called minor calyx.

2) Several minor calyces join to form major calyces.

3) Three to four major calyces join to form renal pelvis.

4) Renal pelvis ureterurinary bladder.

URINARY TRACT:

1)Components are ureter urinary

bladderurethra.

1. Nephron and Collecting Duct:

Nephron: The functional unit of the

kidney

Each kidney is made up of about 1

million nephrons

Each nephron has two major

components:

1) A Bowman s capsule

2) A Renal tubule.

Bowmans capsule:

Glomerulus(tuft of capillaries)

Renal tubule:
 proximal convoluted tubule (pct)

loop of Henle

descending limb

ascending limb

distal convoluted tubule

many nephrons connect to collecting duct.

TYPES OF NEPHRONS

Cortical nephron glomeruli in outer cortex & short loops of Henle that extend only short distance into medulla-

1)Blood flow through cortex is rapid.

2) Majority of nephrons are cortical .

3)Cortical interstitial fluid - 300 mOsmoles.

4)Efferent arteriole formPeritubular arteries.

Juxtamedullary nephron glomeruli in inner part of cortex & long loops of Henle which extend deeply into
medulla.

1)Blood flow through vasa recta in medulla is slow . 2)Medullary interstitial fluid is hyperosmotic .

3)This nephron maintains osmolality in addition to filtering blood and maintaining acid-base balance.
The Renal Corpuscle

Composed of Bowmans capsule and Glomerulus.

Renal Tubules
and Collecting
dut:

The
Juxtaglom
erular
apparatus

Including macula
densa, extraglumerular
mesangial cells, and
juxtaglomerular
(granular cells) cells.
JUXTA-GLOMERULAR CELLS

1) Modified myo-epithelial cells of the efferent arteriole which comes in contact with the ascending limb of Henle.

2)Contain granules of RENIN.

MACULA DENSA :

1)Modified living epithelial cells of the thick ascending limb of loop of Henle.

MESANGIAL CELLS:

1)Located in between the loops of glomerular capillares .

2)Have contractile power.

3)Phagocytic Power.

4)Behave as Immune cell.

2. Blood Supply to the Kidney :

3. The renal artery -- segmental arteries -- interlobar

arteries that communicate with one another via
arcuate arteries.

4. The arcuate arteries give off branches called

interlobular arteries that extend into the cortex.
 5. Venous return of blood is via similarly named veins.

6. The interlobular arteries --afferent arterioles -- glomerulus - efferent arterioles --capillary network
surrounding the tubule system of the Nephron.

Organ Approx. blood flow A-V O difference

2
(ml/min/g of tissue)
(ml/L)

7. The interlobular veins are then the collecting vessel of the

nephron capillary system.

Characteristics of the renal blood flow:

1, high blood flow. 1200 ml/min, or 21 percent of the cardiac output. 94% to the cortex

2, Two capillary beds

High hydrostatic pressure in glomerular capillary (about 60 mmHg) and low hydrostatic pressure in
peritubular capillaries (about 13 mmHg).

Blood flow in kidneys and other organs:

 Kidney 4.00 12-15
+)
(depends on reabsorption of Na
Heart 0.80 96

Brain 0.50 48

Skeletal muscle (rest) 0.05 -

Skeletal muscle (max. exercise) 1.00 -

HUMAN RENAL PHYSIOLOGY

Four Main Processes:
Filtration
Reabsorbtion
Secretion
Excretion
Functions of the Kidney:
Filtration:
First step in urine formation
Bulk transport of fluid from blood to kidney tubule
Isosmotic filtrate
Blood cells and proteins dont filter
Result of hydraulic pressure
GFR = 180 L/day
Reabsorbtion:
Process of returning filtered material to bloodstream
99% of what is filtered
 May involve transport protein(s)
Normally glucose is totally reabsorbed
Secretion:
Material added to lumen of kidney from blood
Active transport (usually) of toxins and foreign substances
Saccharine
Penicillin
Excretion:
Loss of fluid from body in form of urine
Amount = Amount + Amount - Amount
of Solute Filtered Secreted Reabsorbed
Excreted
Reabsorption and Secretion
Concept of Reabsorption and Secretion.

GFR 125 ml/min (180L/day)

(about 1% is excreted)
Filtration, reabsoption, and excretion rates of substances
by the kidneys
Filtered Reabsorbed Excreted
Reabsorbed
(meq/24h) (meq/24h) (meq/24h)
(%)
Glucose (g/day) 180 180 0 100
Bicarbonate (meq/day) 4,320 4,318 2
> 99.9
Sodium (meq/day) 25,560 25,410 150
99.4
Chloride (meq/day) 19,440 19,260
180 99.1
Water (l/day) 169 167.5 1.5
99.1
Urea (g/day) 48 24 24 50
Creatinine (g/day) 1.8 0 1.8 0

Mechanism of Transport
1. Primary Active Transport
2. Secondary Active Transport
3. Pinocytosis
4. Passive Transport

Primary Active Transport

Secondary active transport

Secondary active transport

Interstitial Tubular Interstitial
Tubular Tubular Cell Tubular Cell
Fluid lumen Fluid
lumen co-transport counter-transport
(symport) (antiport)

out in out in

Na+ Na+

glucose H+

Co-transporters will move one Counter-transporters will move

moiety, e.g. glucose, in the same one moiety, e.g. H+, in the
direction as the Na+. opposite direction to the Na+.

Pinocytosis:

Some parts of the tubule, especially the proximal tubule, reabsorb large molecules such as proteins by pinocytosis.