Genitourinary/ urogenital- Mean the same thing, relating to the genitals and urinary system
Nephro/Renal- Greek and Latin for relating to Kidneys
Right kidney is normally a little higher (caudal) than the left
Most obvious role of kidney: remove waste and maintain hydration= urine production
Kidney Filtration
Wastes: by products of metabolism
Toxins: drugs
Excesses: glucose, proteins
Homeostasis- In the process of making urine, the kidney helps balance
Acid-base balance: maintains blood pH
Blood Pressure Regulation
Hormone production: helps to regulate body functions
Fluid Balance Regulation: conserve water allowing more or less to be excreted. Under the
control of hormones.
Cross section of Kidney
Renal artery- carries fresh, oxygenated blood that has not been filtered to the kidney (“dirty” blood)
Renal vein- carries deoxygenated, filtered blood (“clean” blood)
Renal pelvis- funnel shaped area in kidney that connects to the ureter- urine collects and moves
through here (not stored)
Cortex- Outer area of kidney
Medulla- middle of kidney
Nephrons- microscopic filtering, secreting units. Main functioning part of kidney. Hundreds of
thousands in each kidney
Glomerulus- Main part of Nephron, blood enters, gets filtered and sent out. Waste gets sent to
connecting tubule that takes it to the renal pelvis
Tubule- Tube that connects glomerulus to renal pelvis
Reabsorption- Some products that get filtered out of blood and passed into tubule become reabsorbed
into capillaries in tubule
Secretion- Waste that may have been missed in glomerulus gets secreted into tubule- opposite of
tubular reabsorption
The Process
Nephro/Renal- Greek and Latin for relating to Kidneys
Right kidney is normally a little higher (caudal) than the left
Most obvious role of kidney: remove waste and maintain hydration= urine production
Kidney Filtration
Wastes: by products of metabolism
Toxins: drugs
Excesses: glucose, proteins
Homeostasis- In the process of making urine, the kidney helps balance
Acid-base balance: maintains blood pH
Blood Pressure Regulation
Hormone production: helps to regulate body functions
Fluid Balance Regulation: conserve water allowing more or less to be excreted. Under the
control of hormones.
Cross section of Kidney
Renal artery- carries fresh, oxygenated blood that has not been filtered to the kidney (“dirty” blood)
Renal vein- carries deoxygenated, filtered blood (“clean” blood)
Renal pelvis- funnel shaped area in kidney that connects to the ureter- urine collects and moves
through here (not stored)
Cortex- Outer area of kidney
Medulla- middle of kidney
Nephrons- microscopic filtering, secreting units. Main functioning part of kidney. Hundreds of
thousands in each kidney
Glomerulus- Main part of Nephron, blood enters, gets filtered and sent out. Waste gets sent to
connecting tubule that takes it to the renal pelvis
Tubule- Tube that connects glomerulus to renal pelvis
Reabsorption- Some products that get filtered out of blood and passed into tubule become reabsorbed
into capillaries in tubule
Secretion- Waste that may have been missed in glomerulus gets secreted into tubule- opposite of
tubular reabsorption
The Process
