The Kidneys Flashcards

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Note: We may include questions that have multiple correct answers. It's useful to remember specific examples to understand these concepts better.

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What are the two main jobs of the kidneys?

They remove urea from the blood. They control the balance of water and mineral ions by making urine.

Where are the kidneys found in the body?

Two bean-shaped organs in the back of the abdomen, one on each side of the spine, just below the ribs.

What is a nephron?

A tiny filtering unit in the kidney that makes urine. There are about one million in each kidney.

What happens in ultrafiltration?

High pressure in the glomerulus forces water, urea, ions and glucose into Bowman's capsule. Blood cells and proteins stay in the blood.

What is selective reabsorption?

Useful substances are taken back from the tubule into the blood. All glucose is reabsorbed by active transport. Some ions and water are also reabsorbed as needed.

How does ADH affect the kidneys?

ADH makes the collecting ducts more permeable. More water is reabsorbed, so urine is smaller in volume and more concentrated.

Which vessels carry blood into and out of a kidney?

The renal artery brings blood in. The renal vein carries filtered blood out.

What is urea and what do the kidneys do with it?

Urea is a waste made in the liver from excess amino acids. The kidneys remove it from the blood and excrete it in urine.

Why shouldn't protein be found in urine?

Protein molecules are too large to pass through the filter in the glomerulus. They stay in the blood.

How does urine change after drinking a lot of water compared to being dehydrated?

After lots of water you make a large volume of pale, dilute urine. When dehydrated you make a small volume of dark, concentrated urine.

Name the three main regions of a kidney and a simple role of each.

Cortex filters blood. Medulla helps with reabsorption of water and salts. Pelvis collects urine before it leaves the kidney.

What happens to all the glucose filtered into the kidney tubule?

It is all reabsorbed into the blood by active transport. None should be in urine.