Urinary System Mini-Review

The functional unit of the kidney is called __________.

• a glomerulus

• a nephron

• a renal corpuscle

• a renal capsule

Answer explanation

Each kidney has millions of nephrons. Nephrons filter blood and make urine.

Which organ transports urine out of the body?

• ureters

• urethra

• renal pelvis

• collecting ducts

Which anchors the kidney to the posterior body wall?

• peritoneum

• perirenal fat

• renal fascia

• renal capsule

Answer explanation

There are 3 protective layers of the kidney -

1. renal fascia - anchors

2. perirenal fat - protects

3. renal capsule - contains

Loss of this can cause renal ptosis & hydronephrosis?

• peritoneum

• perirenal fat

• renal fascia

• renal capsule

Answer explanation

Another name for renal pstosis is "floating kidney". One kidney sinks and kinks the ureter.

Hydronephrosis is a back up or urine which increases pressure inside the kidney. Untreated, it can lead to permanent kidney damage.

Where in the kidney would you find nephrons?

• In the renal columns

• In the renal pyramids

• In the renal cortex

• In the renal pelvis

Answer explanation

The nephrons are in the cortex. The renal medulla is made up of the renal columns and renal pyramids.

Which is the first step in urine formation?

• tubular absorption

• tubular secretion

• glomerular filtration

Answer explanation

3 easy steps to urine formation:

1. glomerular filtration

2. tubular reabsorption

3. tubular secretion

When blood is filtered through the glomerulus, it is based upon size only.

• true

• false

Answer explanation

The glomerulus and the surrounding visceral layer of the renal capsule makes a fancy strainer with pores that are no more than 3 nanometers...that's really small.

Which should NOT be in the filtrate going in to the PCT, proximal convoluted tubule?

• glucose

• albumen

• amino acids

• sodium

Answer explanation

Since filtration is based on size ONLY, good and bad things end up in the filtrate. Blood proteins like albumen should NOT be in the filtrate or urine. This is usually the first sign of kidney damage.

The amount of filtrate formed by both kidneys in one minute is the ________________.

• NFP net filtration pressure

• UPM urine per minute

• GFR glomerular filtration rate

Answer explanation

Think of GFR, glomerular filtration rate as the quota that must be reached for the kidneys to remove metabolic wastes from the body. 60-125 mL/minute is an acceptable range to prevent toxicity.

What is the danger if NFP, net filtration pressure is too high?

• kidney failure

• too much waste is removed

• kidney damage

• GFR is too low

Answer explanation

Uncontrolled hypertension is the 2nd leading cause of renal disease in the U.S.

Tags

NGSS.HS-LS1-3