Chapter 26 Overview of Kidney Functions

The Urinary System • Regulation of blood ionic composition

• Kidneys, ureters, urinary – Na+, K+, Ca+2, Cl- and phosphate ions
bladder & urethra • Regulation of blood pH, osmolarity & glucose
• Urine flows from each • Regulation of blood volume
kidney, down its ureter to – conserving or eliminating water
the bladder and to the
• Regulation of blood pressure
outside via the urethra
– secreting the enzyme renin
• Filter the blood and return – adjusting renal resistance
most of water and solutes
to the bloodstream • Release of erythropoietin & calcitriol
• Excretion of wastes & foreign substances
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External Anatomy of Kidney External Anatomy of Kidney

• Paired kidney-bean-shaped
organ
• 4-5 in long, 2-3 in wide,
1 in thick
• Found just above the waist
between the peritoneum &
posterior wall of abdomen
– retroperitoneal along with
adrenal glands & ureters • Blood vessels & ureter enter hilus of kidney
• Protected by 11th & 12th ribs • Renal capsule = transparent membrane maintains organ shape
with right kidney lower • Adipose capsule that helps protect from trauma
• Renal fascia = dense, irregular connective tissue that holds
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Internal Anatomy of the Kidneys Internal Anatomy of Kidney

• Parenchyma of kidney
– renal cortex = superficial layer of kidney
– renal medulla
• inner portion consisting of 8-18 cone-shaped renal
pyramids separated by renal columns
• renal papilla point toward center of kidney
• Drainage system fills renal sinus cavity
– cuplike structure (minor calyces) collect urine
from the papillary ducts of the papilla
– minor & major calyces empty into the renal pelvis
which empties into the ureter • What is the difference between renal hilus & renal sinus?
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• Outline a major calyx & the border between cortex & medulla.
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 Blood & Nerve Supply of Kidney
• Abundantly supplied with blood vessels
– receive 25% of resting cardiac output via renal arteries
• Functions of different capillary beds
– glomerular capillaries where filtration of blood occurs
• vasoconstriction & vasodilation of afferent & efferent
arterioles produce large changes in renal filtration
– peritubular capillaries that carry away reabsorbed
substances from filtrate
– vasa recta supplies nutrients to medulla without
disrupting its osmolarity form
• Sympathetic vasomotor nerves regulate blood flow
& renal resistance by altering arterioles
–
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Blood Vessels around the Nephron Blood Supply to the Nephron

• Glomerular capillaries are formed between the

afferent & efferent arterioles
• Efferent arterioles give rise to the peritubular
capillaries and vasa recta
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The Nephron Cortical Nephron

• Kidney has over 1 million nephrons composed
of a corpuscle and tubule
• Renal corpuscle = site of plasma filtration
– glomerulus is capillaries where filtration occurs
– glomerular (Bowman’s) capsule is double-walled
epithelial cup that collects filtrate
• Renal tubule
– proximal convoluted tubule
– loop of Henle dips down into medulla
– distal convoluted tubule
• Collecting ducts and papillary ducts drain urine • 80-85% of nephrons are cortical nephrons
to the renal pelvis and ureter
• Renal corpuscles are in outer cortex and loops of
– JWS
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 Juxtamedullary Nephron
Histology of the Nephron & Collecting Duct

• Single layer of
epithelial cells forms
walls of entire tube
• Distinctive features
due to function of
each region
– microvilli
– cuboidal versus
• 15-20% of nephrons are juxtamedullary nephrons simple
• Renal corpuscles close to medulla and long loops of Henle extend – hormone receptors
into deepest medulla enabling excretion of dilute or concentrated
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Structure of Renal Corpuscle Histology of Renal Tubule & Collecting Duct

• Proximal convoluted tubule

– simple cuboidal with brush border of
microvilli that increase surface area
• Descending limb of loop of Henle
– simple squamous
• Ascending limb of loop of Henle
– simple cuboidal to low columnar
– forms juxtaglomerular apparatus where it
• Bowman’s capsule surrounds capsular space makes contact with afferent arteriole
• macula densa is special part of ascending limb
– podocytes cover capillaries to form visceral layer
• Distal convoluted & collecting ducts
– simple squamous cells form parietal layer of capsule
– simple cuboidal composed of principal &
• Glomerular capillaries arise from afferent arteriole & form a ball intercalated cells which have microvilli
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Juxtaglomerular Apparatus Number of Nephrons

• Remains constant from birth
– any increase in size of kidney is size increase of
individual nephrons
• If injured, no replacement occurs
• Dysfunction is not evident until function
declines by 25% of normal (other nephrons
handle the extra work)
• Structure where afferent arteriole makes contact with • Removal of one kidney causes enlargement
ascending limb of loop of Henle of the remaining until it can filter at 80% of
– macula densa is thickened part of ascending limb normal rate of 2 kidneys
– juxtaglomerular cells are modified muscle cells in arteriole
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 Overview of Renal Physiology Overview of Renal Physiology
• Nephrons and collecting ducts perform 3 basic
processes
– glomerular filtration
• a portion of the blood plasma is filtered into the kidney
– tubular reabsorption
• water & useful substances are reabsorbed into the blood
– tubular secretion
• wastes are removed from the blood & secreted into urine
• Rate of excretion of any substance is its rate of
filtration, plus its rate of secretion, minus its rate of
reabsorption • 1. Glomerular filtration of plasma
• 2. Tubular reabsorption
• 3. Tubular secretion
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Glomerular Filtration Filtration Membrane

• Blood pressure produces glomerular filtrate
• Filtration fraction is 20% of plasma
• 48 Gallons/day
filtrate reabsorbed
to 1-2 qt. urine
• Filtering capacity
enhanced by:
– thinness of membrane & large surface area of
glomerular capillaries • #1 Stops all cells and platelets
– glomerular capillary BP is high due to small size of • #2 Stops large plasma proteins
efferent arteriole • #3 Stops medium-sized proteins, not small ones
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Net Filtration Pressure Glomerular Filtration Rate

• Amount of filtrate formed in all renal corpuscles of
both kidneys/minute
– average adult male rate is 125 mL/min
• Homeostasis requires GFR that is constant
– too high & useful substances are lost due to the speed of
fluid passage through nephron
– too low and sufficient waste products may not be
removed from the body
• Changes in net filtration pressure affects GFR
– filtration stops if GBHP drops to 45mm Hg
• NFP = total pressure that promotes filtration – functions normally with mean arterial pressures 80-180
• NFP = GBHP - (CHP + BCOP) = 10mm Hg 23 24

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 Renal Autoregulation of GFR Neural Regulation of GFR
• Mechanisms that maintain a constant GFR despite • Blood vessels of the kidney are supplied by sympathetic
changes in arterial BP fibers that cause vasoconstriction of afferent arterioles
– myogenic mechanism • At rest, renal BV are maximally dilated because sympathetic
• systemic increases in BP, stretch the afferent arteriole activity is minimal
• smooth muscle contraction reduces the diameter of the – renal autoregulation prevails
arteriole returning the GFR to its previous level in seconds • With moderate sympathetic stimulation, both afferent &
– tubuloglomerular feedback efferent arterioles constrict equally
• elevated systemic BP raises the GFR so that fluid flows too – decreasing GFR equally
rapidly through the renal tubule & Na+, Cl- and water are
• With extreme sympathetic stimulation (exercise or
not reabsorbed
hemorrhage), vasoconstriction of afferent arterioles reduces
• macula densa detects that difference & releases a
vasoconstrictor from the juxtaglomerular apparatus GFR
• afferent arterioles constrict & reduce GFR – lowers urine output & permits blood flow to other tissues
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Tubular Reabsorption & Secretion

Hormonal Regulation of GFR • Normal GFR is so high that volume of filtrate in
capsular space in half an hour is greater than the
• Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) increases total plasma volume
GFR • Nephron must reabsorb 99% of the filtrate
– stretching of the atria that occurs with an increase – PCT with their microvilli do most of work with rest of
in blood volume causes hormonal release nephron doing just the fine-tuning
• relaxes glomerular mesangial cells increasing • solutes reabsorbed by active & passive processes
capillary surface area and increasing GFR
• water follows by osmosis
• Angiotensin II reduces GFR • small proteins by pinocytosis
– potent vasoconstrictor that narrows both afferent • Important function of nephron is tubular secretion
& efferent arterioles reducing GFR – transfer of materials from blood into tubular fluid
• helps control blood pH because of secretion of H+
• helps eliminate certain substances (NH4+, creatinine, K+)
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Reabsorption Routes Transport Mechanisms

• Apical and basolateral membranes of tubule cells
• Paracellular reabsorption
have different types of transport proteins
– 50% of reabsorbed material
moves between cells by • Reabsorption of Na+ is important
diffusion in some parts of – several transport systems exist to reabsorb Na+
tubule – Na+/K+ ATPase pumps sodium from tubule cell cytosol
• Transcellular reabsorption through the basolateral membrane only
– material moves through • Water is only reabsorbed by osmosis
both the apical and basal – obligatory water reabsorption occurs when water is
membranes of the tubule “obliged” to follow the solutes being reabsorbed
cell by active transport – facultative water reabsorption occurs in collecting duct
under the control of antidiuretic hormone (ADH)
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 Reabsorption in the PCT
Glucosuria • Na+ symporters help
reabsorb materials from
• Renal symporters can not reabsorb glucose fast the tubular filtrate
enough if blood glucose level is above 200 mg/mL • Glucose, amino acids,
– some glucose remains in the urine (glucosuria) lactic acid, water-soluble
vitamins and other
• Common cause is diabetes mellitis because insulin nutrients are completely
activity is deficient and blood sugar is too high reabsorbed in the first half
• Rare genetic disorder produces defect in symporter of the proximal convoluted
that reduces its effectiveness tubule
• Intracellular sodium levels
are kept low due to Na+/K+
pump
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Reabsorption of Nutrients 32

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Reabsorption of Bicarbonate, Na+ & H+ Ions Passive Reabsorption in the 2nd Half of PCT
• Na+ antiporters reabsorb Na+ • Electrochemical gradients
and secrete H+ produced by symporters
– PCT cells produce the H+ & & antiporters causes
release bicarbonate ion to the passive reabsorption of
peritubular capillaries other solutes
– important buffering system • Cl-, K+, Ca+2, Mg+2 and
• For every H+ secreted into the urea passively diffuse
into the peritubular
tubular fluid, one filtered
capillaries
bicarbonate eventually returns
to the blood • Promotes osmosis in PCT
(especially permeable due
to aquaporin-1 channels
•
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Secretion of NH3 & NH4+ in PCT Reabsorption in the Loop of Henle

• Ammonia (NH3) is a poisonous waste product of • Tubular fluid
protein deamination in the liver – PCT reabsorbed 65% of the filtered water so chemical
– most is converted to urea which is less toxic composition of tubular fluid in the loop of Henle is quite
• Both ammonia & urea are filtered at the different from plasma
glomerus & secreted in the PCT – since many nutrients were reabsorbed as well,
osmolarity of tubular fluid is close to that of blood
– PCT cells deaminate glutamine in a process that
generates both NH3 and new bicarbonate ion. • Sets the stage for independent regulation of both
• Bicarbonate diffuses into the bloodstream volume & osmolarity of body fluids
– during acidosis more bicarbonate is generated

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 Symporters in the Loop of Henle
• Thick limb of loop of Reabsorption in the DCT
Henle has Na+ K- Cl-
symporters that reabsorb • Removal of Na+ and Cl- continues in the DCT by
these ions means of Na+ Cl- symporters
• K+ leaks through K+ • Na+ and Cl- then reabsorbed into peritubular
channels back into the capillaries
tubular fluid leaving the
interstitial fluid and blood • DCT is major site where parathyroid hormone
with a negative charge stimulates reabsorption of Ca+2
• Cations passively move to – DCT is not very permeable to water so it is not
the vasa recta reabsorbed with little accompanying water

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Reabsorption & Secretion in the Actions of the Principal Cells

Collecting Duct • Na+ enters principal cells
through leakage channels
• By end of DCT, 95% of solutes & water have • Na+ pumps keep the
been reabsorbed and returned to the bloodstream concentration of Na+ in
• Cells in the collecting duct make the final the cytosol low
adjustments • Cells secrete variable
– principal cells reabsorb Na+ and secrete K+ amounts of K+, to adjust
for dietary changes in K+
– intercalated cells reabsorb K+ & bicarbonate ions and intake
secrete H+
– down concentration gradient due to Na+/K+ pump
• Aldosterone increases Na+ and water reabsorption & K+
secretion by principal cells by stimulating the synthesis of
new pumps and channels.
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Secretion of H+ and Absorption of Hormonal Regulation

Bicarbonate by Intercalated Cells • Hormones that affect Na+, Cl- & water
• Proton pumps (H+ATPases) secrete reabsorption and K+ secretion in the tubules
H+ into tubular fluid – angiotensin II and aldosterone
– can secrete against a concentration
• decreases GFR by vasoconstricting afferent arteriole
gradient so urine can be 1000 times
more acidic than blood • enhances absorption of Na+
• Cl-/HCO3- antiporters move • promotes aldosterone production which causes principal
bicarbonate ions into the blood cells to reabsorb more Na+ and Cl- and less water
– intercalated cells help regulate pH of • increases blood volume by increasing water reabsorption
body fluids – atrial natriuretic peptide
• Urine is buffered by HPO42- and • inhibits reabsorption of Na+ and water in PCT &
ammonia, both of which combine suppresses secretion of aldosterone & ADH
irreversibly with H+ and are excreted • increase excretion of Na+ which increases urine output
and decreases blood volume
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 Antidiuretic Hormone
(ADH) Production of Dilute or Concentrated Urine
• Increases water permeability of
principal cells so regulates • Homeostasis of body fluids despite variable
facultative water reabsorption by... fluid intake
• Stimulates the insertion of • Kidneys regulate water loss in urine
aquaporin-2 channels into the
membrane • ADH controls whether dilute or concentrated
– water molecules move more urine is formed
rapidly – if lacking, urine contains high ratio of water to
• When osmolarity of plasma & solutes
interstitial fluid decreases, more
ADH is secreted and facultative
water reabsorption increases.
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Formation of Dilute Urine Formation of Concentrated Urine

• Dilute = having fewer solutes • Compensation for low water intake or heavy perspiration
than plasma (300 mOsm/liter). • Urine can be up to 4 times greater osmolarity than plasma
– diabetes insipidus
• It is possible for principal cells & Antidiuretic Hormone
• Filtrate and blood have equal (ADH) to remove water from urine to that extent, if
osmolarity in PCT
interstitial fluid surrounding the loop of Henle has high
• Water reabsorbed in thin limb, osmolarity
but ions reabsorbed in thick – Long loop juxtamedullary nephrons make that possible
limb of loop of Henle create a
– Na+/K+/Cl- symporters reabsorb Na+ and Cl- from tubular fluid to
filtrate more dilute than plasma create osmotic gradient in the renal medulla
– can be 4x as dilute as plasma
• Cells in the collecting ducts reabsorb more water & urea
– as low as 65 mOsm/liter
when ADH is increased
• Principal cells do not reabsorb
water if ADH is low • Urea recycling causes a buildup of urea in the renal medulla

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Summary Reabsorption within Loop of Henle

• H2O Reabsorption
– PCT---65%
– loop---15%
– DCT----10-15%
– collecting duct---
5-10% with ADH
• Dilute urine has not
had enough water
removed, although
sufficient ions have
been reabsorbed.

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 Countercurrent Mechanism
Diuretics
• Descending limb is very permeable to water
– higher osmolarity of interstitial fluid outside the • Substances that slow renal reabsorption of
descending limb causes water to mover out of the tubule water & cause diuresis (increased urine flow
by osmosis rate)
• at hairpin turn, osmolarity can reach 1200 mOsm/liter – caffeine which inhibits Na+ reabsorption
• Ascending limb is impermeable to water, but – alcohol which inhibits secretion of ADH
symporters remove Na+ and Cl- so osmolarity drops – prescription medicines can act on the PCT, loop
to 100 mOsm/liter, but less urine is left of Henle or DCT
• Vasa recta blood flowing in opposite directions than
the loop of Henle -- provides nutrients & O2 without
affecting osmolarity of interstitial fluid
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Evaluation of Kidney Function Dialysis Therapy

• Urinalysis • Kidney function is so impaired the blood must be
– analysis of the volume and properties of urine cleansed artificially
– normal urine is protein free, but includes filtered & secreted – separation of large solutes from smaller ones by a
electrolytes selectively permeable membrane
• urea, creatinine, uric acid, urobilinogen, fatty acids, enzymes & • Artificial kidney machine performs hemodialysis
hormones
• Blood tests – directly filters blood because blood flows through tubing
surrounded by dialysis solution
– blood urea nitrogen test (BUN) measures urea in blood
• rises steeply if GFR decreases severely
– cleansed blood flows back into the body
– plasma creatinine--from skeletal muscle breakdown
– renal plasma clearance of substance from the blood in ml/
minute (important in drug dosages)

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We are done.
The Test is Coming!

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