HSC 215

Lecture Outline
Urinary Physiology Short Version
Chapter 14
Main kidney functions:
1. Primarily responsible for maintaining stability of ECF volume, electrolyte
composition, and osmolarity
2. Main route for eliminating potentially toxic metabolic wastes and foreign compounds
from the body
Overview of kidney functions
-Maintain H2O balance in the body
-Maintain proper osmolarity of body fluids, primarily through regulating H2O balance
-Regulate the quantity and concentration of most ECF ions
-Maintain proper plasma volume
-Help maintain proper acid-base balance in the body
-Excreting (eliminating) the end products (wastes) of bodily metabolism
-Excreting many foreign compounds
-Producing erythropoietin
-Producing renin
-Converting vitamin D into its active form

Urinary Anatomy OYO

3 Processes of Urine Formation:

I. Glomerular filtration
II. Tubular reabsorption
III. Tubular secretion
Urine results from these three processes

I. Filtration-occurs in the glomerulus

More permeable to water and solutes than capillaries elsewhere in the body
Filtrate is forced from glomerulus into capsule
Molecules too large are not filtered
Blood cells and plasma proteins are too large
Glomerular filtration rate = rate filtrate is formed
125 ml/min
Glomerular capillary blood pressure can be controlled to adjust GFR to suit the bodys
needs
Via SNS and RAAS

II. Tubular Reabsorption: Involves the transfer of substances from tubular lumen into
peritubular capillaries or back to the blood
Most substances that need to get back to the blood get sucked back in
through the first tube
Highly selective and variable process
1. NA reabsorption
-An active Na+/K+ pump is essential for Na+ reabsorption
Of total energy spent by kidneys, 80% is used for Na+ transport
Na+ is not reabsorbed in the descending limb of the loop of Henle
Hormone Influence:
Most important and best known hormonal system involved in regulating Na+
Renin angiotensin aldosterone system
Aldesterone works mainly in dct
2. Glucose and amino acids are reabsorbed by active transport in pct
If TM (transport maximum) is reached, g is lost in the urine

3. Water
65 percent of water reabsorption is obligatory in the proximal tubule.
-Vasopressin
In the ___________tubule and collecting duct it is variable, based on the secretion of
______.
The secretion of vasopressin increases the _____________of the tubule cells to water.
During a water deficit, the secretion of vasopressin_________________. This __creases
water reabsorption and concentrates the urine.

During an excess of water, the secretion of vasopressin______________. Less water

is_____________________. More is eliminated and the urine is more dilute.

III.

Tubular Secretion: Transfer of substances from peritubular capillaries into the

tubular lumen
or______________________________________________________

Kidney tubules can selectively add some substances to the substances already filtered
Most important secretory systems are for
____
Important in regulating acid-base balance
Secreted in proximal, distal, and collecting tubules
____
Keeps plasma K+ concentration at appropriate level to maintain normal
membrane excitability in muscles and nerves
Secreted only in the distal and collecting tubules under control of
___________________________
Micturition-OYO
Urine stored in body is eliminated by micturition
Urine in bladder stimulates stretch receptors
Stimulated stretch receptors signal smooth muscle in bladder wall by parasympathetic
neurons
Contraction of bladder pushes urine out of the body
Micturition reflex
Relaxation of external urethral sphincter muscle allowing urine to pass through urethra
and out of the body
Under voluntary control but cannot be delayed indefinitely