Renal System

• What is the primary function of the urinary system?

  To filter waste from the blood
• How many kidneys do humans have?

  Two kidneys
• What supplies blood to the kidneys?

  Renal arteries
• How does blood leave the kidneys?

  Through the renal veins
• What do the kidneys remove from the blood?

  Waste and toxins
• What is urea?

  A waste product removed by kidneys
• What is osmoregulation?

  Controlling water and salt balance
• How much blood do kidneys filter daily?

  About 170 liters
• How much urine is typically produced daily?

  One to two liters
• What is osmosis?

  Movement of water through a membrane
• What happens to red blood cells in a hypertonic solution?

  They shrivel up
• What is an isotonic solution?

  Equal concentration inside and outside cells
• What hormone controls water removal by kidneys?

  ADH (antidiuretic hormone)
• What are the filtering units in kidneys called?

  Nephrons
• What is the glomerulus?

  A ball of capillaries in kidneys
• What does the Bowman's capsule do?

  Surrounds glomerulus and filters blood
• What is the proximal convoluted tubule responsible for?

  Reabsorbing glucose, amino acids, and water
• What happens in the loop of Henle?

  More water and sodium chloride are reabsorbed
• What is the function of the distal convoluted tubule?

  Fine-tunes reabsorption of water and salts
• What does ADH do in the collecting duct?

  Opens channels for water reabsorption
• What does the hypothalamus monitor?

  Concentration of salts in the blood
• What does the RAS mechanism control?

  Blood pressure and fluid balance
• What happens when blood pressure is too low?

  Kidneys produce renin
• What does angiotensin do?

  Causes blood vessels to constrict
• What does aldosterone do?

  Instructs kidneys to retain sodium ions
• What is dialysis?

  Filtering blood outside the body
• What is a major disadvantage of dialysis?

  It takes a lot of time
• What is a kidney transplant?

  Replacing a damaged kidney with a healthy one
• What is a risk of kidney transplantation?

  Long waiting list for donors
• What are immunosuppressants used for?

  To prevent kidney rejection
• What are the main components of the urinary system?

  • Kidneys
  • Renal arteries and veins
  • Ureters
  • Bladder
• What are the main functions of the kidneys?

  • Excretion of waste and toxins
  • Osmoregulation of water and salts
• What is the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS)?

  • Regulates blood pressure and fluid balance
  • Involves renin, angiotensin, and aldosterone
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of dialysis?

  Advantages:

  • Keeps patients alive
  • Reduces urea levels

  
  

  Disadvantages:

  • Time-consuming
  • Risk of infection
  • Less effective than transplant
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of kidney transplantation?

  Advantages:

  • More effective than dialysis
  • Normal eating and drinking

  
  

  Disadvantages:

  • Long waiting list
  • Major surgical risks
  • Lifelong immunosuppressants