Student: Regine Bolor

Course|Section: BSN1-A
URINARY SYSTEM

1. Name the three areas of the kidney, and state what each consists of.
Renal Cortex is the outer tissue layer and is made up of renal corpuscles
and convoluted tubules. Renal medulla is the inner tissue layer and is
made up of loops of Henle and collecting tubules. Renal pelvis is a cavity
formed by the expansion of the ureter within the kidney at the hilus.

2. Name the two major parts of a nephron. State the general function of
nephrons.
The two major parts of nephron are renal corpuscle and renal tubule.
The nephron is the structural and functional unit of the kidney.

3. Name the parts of a renal corpuscle. What process takes place here?
Name the parts of a renal tubule. What processes take place here?
Renal corpuscle consists of glomerulus surrounded by a Bowman’s
capsule. The glomerulus is a capillary network that arises from an afferent
arteriole and empties into an efferent arteriole. Bowman’s capsule (or
glomerular capsule) is the expanded end of a renal tubule; it encloses the
glomerulus. The renal tubule consists of proximal convoluted tubule, loop of
Henle, and distal convoluted tubule. The distal convoluted tubules from
several nephrons empty into a collecting tubule. Several collecting tubules
then unite to form a papillary duct that empties urine into a calyx of the
renal pelvis. All parts of the renal tubule are surrounded by peritubular
capillaries, which arise from the efferent arteriole.

4. In what circumstances do the kidneys secrete renin, and what is its

purpose?
When blood pressure decreases, the juxtaglomerular cells in the walls of
the afferent arterioles secrete the enzyme renin. Renin then initiates the
renin-angiotensin mechanism to raise blood pressure. The end product of
the process is angiotensin II, which causes vasoconstriction and increases
the secretion of aldosterone, both of which help raise blood pressure which
is essential in normal body functioning

1|Anatomy-Lecture