Biochemistry of

kidney and urine

Two layers: external cortex, inner
medulla.
Functional-
structural unit
nephron.

Every kidney
about
1000000
nephrons.
 RENAL FUNCTIONS
-Excretion of the end products from the organism
(formation of urea)
-Maintenance of acidic-base balance
-Maintenance of water-salt balance
-Maintenance of osmotic pressure
-Hormonal activity
rennin synthesis (blood pressure regulation)
erythropoietin (erythrocytes formation),
1,25-dihydroxycholecalcipherol (vitamin D3)
-Regulation of blood pressure
-Metabolism of proteins, lipids, carbohydrates,
energetic metabolism
 Metabolism in kidneys

80 % of water
about 10 % of all oxygen
700-900 L of blood/day (25
%)
carbs main energetic
material
Active:
Glycolysis
Ketolysis
Transamination and
deamination
 Urine formation
Structures responsible
for the urine formation:
glomeruli,
proximal canaliculi,
distal canaliculi.

Mechanism of urine
formation:
filtration
reabsorption
secretion
Mechanisms of elimination:
filtration
reabsorption
excretion
 Filtration
Takes place in glomeruli.
Substances with molecular mass below 40,000 Da pass
through the membrane of glomerulus into capsula.

About 120 mL/min

or 180 L/day of
blood is filtrated.

Filtration passive
process.

After filtration
primary urine (180
L/day)
Filtration is caused by:
-hydrostatic pressure of blood in
capillaries of glomeruli (70 mm
Hg)
-oncotic pressure of blood plasma
proteins (30 mm Hg)
-hydrostatic pressure of
ultrafiltrate in capsule (20 mm
Hg)

70 mm Hg-(30 mm Hg+20 mm
Hg)=20 mm Hg

Hydrostatic pressure in glomeruli

is determined by the ratio
between diameter of ascendant
and descendant arteriole
 Reabsorption
Takes place in proximal and distal canaliculi.
What is reabsorbed? Glucose (100%), amino acids (93%),
water (98%), NaCl (70%) etc.

The urine is concentrated (toxins damages the

proximal canaliculi)

Reabsorption:
active
passive.

Lipophilic substances
- passive.
Na/K P-se is very
active
 Secretion
Transport of substances from blood into filtrate.
Takes place in proximal and
distal canaliculi.
Secretion:
active
passive.
Passive secretion depends on
the pH.

What is secreted?
Ions of K, mmonia, H+
drugs
xenobiotics
 CLEARANCE
Clearance of any substance is expressed in ml of blood
plasma that is purified from this substance for 1 min while
passing through the kidneys.

About 180 L of primary urine is formed for 1 day, about

125 mL of primary urine for 1 min.

Glucose is reabsorbed completely; clearance = 0

Inulin is not reabsorbed absolutely; clearance = 125 mL/min

If clearance is more than 125 mL/min the substance is

secreted actively.

Clearance = (C urine/C plasma) * V

REGULATION OF BLOOD PRESUURE BY KIDNEYS
 REGULATION OF BLOOD PRESSURE BY KIDNEYS
Inadequate supply of blood to kidneys (decrease of blood
pressure, hypovolemia)

Constriction of arterioles

Irritation of juxtaglomerular cells

Rhenin

Angitensinogen Angiotensin
Angiotensin-converting
enzyme
Secretion of aldosteron Angiotensin

Reabsorption of Na
and water Vasocostriction
The increase of blood volume
The increase of blood pressure
 REGULATION OF BLOOD PRESSURE BY KIDNEYS
The decrease of blood pressure, hypovolemia

The decrease of blood volume in atriums and carotid sinuses

Reaction of volume-receptors

Impulses to hypothalamus

Stimulation of vasopressine formation

Activation of hyaluronidase in kidneys canaliculi

Depolimeralisation of hyaluronic acid

The increase of water reabsorption

The increase of blood volume

The increase of blood pressure

 MAINTAINING OF ACIDIC-BASE
BALANCE BY KIDNEYS

Three mechanisms:
-Conversion of two substituted
phosphates into one substituted in the
cavity of canaliculi
- Formation of carbonic acid in the cells
with the following dissociation to + and
3-
- ammonia excretion
MAINTAINING OF ACIDIC-BASE BALANCE BY
KIDNEYS

Cells of
Blood canaliculus Cavity of canaliculus

Na2HPO4

Na+ Na+ Na+ Na+

HPO42-
H+ H+

NaH2PO4
MAINTAINING OF ACIDIC-BASE BALANCE BY
KIDNEYS

Cells of
Blood canaliculus Cavity of canaliculus

NaHCO3

Na+ Na+ Na+

- H+ H+ HCO3-
HCO3

H2CO3
H2CO3
H2O + CO2

H2O CO2
MAINTAINING OF ACIDIC-BASE BALANCE BY
KIDNEYS

Cells of
Blood canaliculus Cavity of canaliculus

Glutamine

NH3 NH3+H+

Glutamic acid

NH4+