How many nephrons does each kidney contain?
About 1 million.
What structures form the glomerular filtration barrier?
Fenestrated endothelial cells, a single basement membrane, and podocyte pedicels forming filtration slits.
What two factors determine passive glomerular filtration?
Filtration membrane permeability and a pressure gradient.
What fraction of cardiac output do both kidneys receive?
About one fifth.
What does GFR assess, and when may it remain normal despite glomerular damage?
Kidney function; it may remain normal until 50% of glomeruli are affected.
What does persistent GFR below 60 mL/min indicate, and what does rapid decline indicate?
Chronic kidney disease; acute kidney injury.
What plasma flow do normal-hematocrit kidneys receive each minute?
About 600 mL/min.
Which mechanisms maintain renal plasma flow and GFR through intrinsic autoregulation?
The myogenic mechanism and tubuloglomerular feedback, mainly acting on the afferent arteriole.
What happens to the afferent arteriole when pressure rises during the myogenic response?
Stretch-sensitive channels allow calcium entry into smooth muscle cells, causing constriction that reduces renal blood flow and GFR.
What is the daily filtrate volume at a GFR of 125 mL/min?
About 180 L/day.
Answer 11 questions on Renal Physiology and Filtration.
1. Which structures together make up a nephron, the functional unit of the kidney?
2. A nephron has a short loop of Henle that barely enters the medulla. Which type of nephron is it?
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