Nephron – functional unit of kidney

 1 to 1.5 million
 2 types:
o Cortical Nephron – made up of 85% of nephron
 Situated primarily in the cortex of the kidney
 Responsible for removal of waste products and reabsorption of nutrients
o Juxtamedullary Nephron – have longer loops of Henle
 Primary function is concentration of the urine

RENAL BLOOD FLOW

 Renal Artery – supplies blood to the kidney

o Blood → Afferent Arteriole → Glomerulus → Efferent Arteriole
 Size of arterioles may vary which may create hydrostatic pressure
o Efferent Arteriole → Peritubular capillaries & Vasa recta
 Peritubular capillaries – surround the proximal and distal convoluted tubules
 Proximal convoluted tubules – immediate reabsorption of essential
substances from the fluid
 Distal convoluted tubules – final adjustment of the urinary composition
 Vasa recta – located adjacent to the ascending and descending loop of Henle
 Where major exchanges of water and salts take place between the
blood and the medullary interstitium = maintains osmotic gradient
 Total Renal Blood Flow = 1,200 mL/min (avg. body size is 1.73m² of surface)
 Total Renal Plasma Flow = 600-700 mL/min

GLOMERULAR FILTRATION

 Glomerulus – serves as nonselective filter of plasma substances (w/ mw ˂70,000)

o Consists of a coil of 8 capillary lobes; SG of 1.010; protein- and cell-free
o Located within the Bowman’s capsule
o Walls -> Glomerular Filtration Barrier
 3 layers: Capillary Wall Membrane (contain pores), Basement Membrane (basal
lamina), and the Visceral Epithelium of Bowman’s Capsule
 Shield of Negativity – repels positive charge
 Repels Albumin[+] (primary protein associated with renal disease)
o Pores (referred to as fenestrated) – increase capillary permeability but do not allow
passage of large molecules and blood cells
o Podocytes – located in the basement membrane – also restricts large molecules
 Glomerular Pressure – 75 mmHg; results from the smaller sizes of the efferent arteriole and
glomerular capillaries
 Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone-System (RAAS) – regulates the flow of blood to and within the
glomerulus; monitored by the Juxtaglomerular apparatus (Autoregulatory mechanism)
 o Macula densa (Distal CT) – monitors changes in blood pressure/plasma sodium
o Juxtaglomerular cell (afferent arteriole) + Macula densa = Juxtaglomerular apparatus
o ↓Blood Pressure/Plasma Sodium → secrete Renin (produced by juxtaglomerular cells)
→ reacts with Angiotensinogen → produces Angiotensin I → passes to alveoli of lungs →
Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme changes it to Angiotensin II →
Vasoconstriction/Proximal Convoluted Tubule; Sodium reabsorption/produces
Aldosterone (Distal CT; Sodium reabsorption)/produces Anti-Diuretic Hormone by the
Hypothalamus (Collecting Duct; Water resorption)
 Vasoconstriction – dilates afferent arteriole and constricts efferent arteriole
o Every minute, 120mL of water is filtered

TUBULAR REABSORPTION

 When plasma ultrafiltrate enters the Proximal CT, the Nephrons begin reabsorbing essential
substances and water
o Cellular mechanism
 Active Transport – combines with a carrier protein
 Passive Transport – movement of molecules across a membrane
 When the plasma concentration of a substance that is normally completely reabsorbed reaches
an abnormally high level, the filtrate concentration exceeds the Maximal Reabsorptive Capacity
and the substance begins to appear in the urine
 Active transport stops at Renal Threshold (160 to 180 mg/dL for glucose)

Tubular Reabsorption
Substance Location
Active Transport Glucose, amino acids, salts Proximal CT
Chloride Ascending Loop of Henle
Sodium Proximal and Distal CT
Passive Transport Water Proximal CT, Descending Loop
of Henle, Collecting Duct
Urea Proximal CT, Ascending Loop of
Henle
Sodium Ascending Loop of Henle

 Descending Loop of Henle – removes water by osmosis

 Ascending Loop of Henle – reabsorption of sodium and chloride
 Countercurrent mechanism – selective reabsorption process/water-impermeable walls
o Prevents excessive water reabsorption; maintain osmotic gradient of medulla
 Collecting Duct – final concentration of the filtrate
o Reabsorption depends on – hormone Vasopressin (Antidiuretic Hormone [ADH])
o ↑Body Hydration = ↓ADH = ↑Urine Volume = ↓Permeability/Reabsorption of water
o ↓Body Hydration = ↑ADH = ↓Urine Volume = ↑Permeability/Reabsorption of water
TUBULAR SECRETION

 2 Functions:
o Eliminates waste products not filtered by the glomerulus
o Regulates Acid-base balance in the body
 Proximal Convoluted Tubules – major site for removal of nonfiltered substances (foreign
substances such as medications) – dissociates with carrier protein
 Normal Blood pH = 7.4
o Bicarbonate (HCO₃⁻) – readily filtered and must be returned to the blood
o Hydrogen ions (H⁺) – prevents filtered bicarbonate from being excreted in the urine and
causes the return of bicarbonate ion to the plasma
 Process of these two occurs in the Proximal CT
 Glutamine → Ammonia
 Metabolic Acidosis/Renal Tubular Acidosis – inability to produce an acid urine