The Renal System

Question 1

What is the function of the renal system?

Answer 1

The system processes and gets rid of the body’s normal metabolic waste
Maintain homeostasis in the body by controlling blood pressure and volume

Question 2

List the structure of the renal system?

Answer 2

Two kidneys
Two ureters
The bladder
The urethra

Question 3

Where are the kidneys located?

Answer 3

These lie on either side of the spine at the top of the lumbar region and the bottom of the thoracic region.

Question 4

What is the function of the kidneys?

Answer 4

The kidneys filter out impurities from the blood as well as regulate the salt and water balance, produce urine, control the pH balance and control the fluid balance

Question 5

What is the function of the two ureters?

Answer 5

These are the thin tubes that take the urine from the kidneys to the bladder

Question 6

Where is the bladder located?

Answer 6

This is situated in the pelvic region.

Question 7

What is the function of the bladder?

Answer 7

Urine is collected and stored until it is ready to be released.

Question 8

What is the function of the urethra?

Answer 8

This takes the urine from the bladder to the outside of the body.

Question 9

Urination is know as what?

Answer 9

Micturition

Question 10

What is the composition of urine?

Answer 10

95% water

5% chemical compounds

Question 11

What happens if you have an excess of water in the blood?

Answer 11

The nerve receptors in the hypothalamus will trigger the pituitary gland to secrete the home ADH. This carries messages to the kidneys to produce more diluted urine.

Question 12

What does ADH stand for?

Answer 12

Anti-diuretic hormone

Question 13

What happens if we become dehydrated?

Answer 13

The nerve receptors in the hypothalamus trigger the pituitary gland to send a message to the kidneys to produce more concentrated urine and reabsorb more water back into the body.

Question 14

What Ph level should the blood be?

Answer 14

7.35 and 7.45

Question 15

How many nephrons does the kidney contain?

Answer 15

over 1 million nephrons

Question 16

What is the function of the renal artery?

Answer 16

To bring blood to the kidneys to be “cleaned”

Question 17

What is the function of the renal vein?

Answer 17

Returns blood that is cleaned (Low urea content, no glucose)

Question 18

What is the function of a nephron?

Answer 18

Pressure filtration
Reabsorption of Water
Excretion

Question 19

List some common pathologies of the renal system

Answer 19

Cystitis
Nephritis
Renal Failure

Question 20

What is a nephron?

Answer 20

An independent filtering and urine-processing unit

Question 21

What is the nephrons structure include?

Answer 21

A renal corpuscle 
Glomerulus 
Bowman’s capsule
loop of Henle 
proximal convoluted tubule
distal convoluted tubule

Question 22

What is the name of the tiny capillaries contained in the renal corpuscle?

Answer 22

The glomerulus

Question 23

What is osmosis?

Answer 23

A process by which molecules of a solvent tend to pass through a semipermeable membrane from a less concentrated solution into a more concentrated one

Question 24

What is a metabolic waste?

Answer 24

Metabolic wastes are substances produced by the metabolic activities of living organisms. These substances cannot be used by the organism and are therefore excreted.

Question 25

What is the difference between the urethra of a man and a woman?

Answer 25

The urethra is shorter in women that in men. In men it also has a reproductive function.

Question 26

How much urine can your bladder store?

Answer 26

Approx 600ml

Question 27

How do the ureters transport urine from the kidney’s to the bladder?

Answer 27

By Peristalsis - Muscles in the ureter walls tighten and relax and force the urine downwards to the bladder.

Question 28

What is oedema?

Answer 28

Fluid retention in the tissues of the body