NURS 611 PATHO EXAM 3 2026 LATEST UPDATE
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT VERIFIED ANSWERS
ALREADY GRADED A+
What is the VQ ratio? - ANS-The ratio is used to assess the efficiency and adequacy of V -
ventilation of air to the alveoli and P-perfusion of blood to the alveolar capillaries. Ideal ratio
is one.
If there is a mucus plug, ventilation will go down, while perfusion remains the same.
If perfusion goes down such as a PE, ventilation remains the same, while perfusion goes
down.
Define the basic renal processes: filtration, reabsorption, and secretion. - ANS-Filtration: ~20%
filtration.
Passive and non-selective.
Glomerular Filtration typically occurs at Bowman's Capsule. There is no filtration of blood
proteins.
Tubular Reabsorption:
Passive and ACTIVE.
Selective Reabsorption of sodium, water, and potassium.
Tubular Secretion:
Selective, active or passive process that allows for a excretion of waste products.
,What are the forces involved in glomerular filtration? Which ones promote filtration, which
ones oppose filtration? - ANS-Capillary Blood Pressure:
INCREASE Filtration
Plasma Colloid Osmotic Pressure:
Oppose Filtration
Bowman's Capsule Hydrostatic Pressure:
Oppose Filtration
What is the goal of autoregulation by the kidneys? By what mechanisms is this goal met? - ANS-
Autoregulation involves feedback mechanisms INTRINSIC to the kidney that can cause either
dilation or constriction in the AFFERENT arteriole in order to counteract BP changes and
maintain GFR.
What are the structural and functional differences between the juxtamedullary nephrons and
the cortical nephrons? - ANS-Cortical Nephrons: (80%) Short Loops of Henle that do not go
deep into the medulla, contain peritubular capillaries
Juxtamedullary Nephrons: (20%), Long Loops of Henle that extend into the medulla, only have
vasa recta. Responsible for producing concentrated urine and retaining water.
Describe the vascular components of the nephron. Which vascular parts engage in exchange of
any kind with the tubule? - ANS-Afferent Arteriole -> Bowman's Capsule ->Efferent Arteriole ->
Peritubular Capillary/Vasa Recta
Exchange can occur at Bowman's Capsule, Peritubular Capillaries, and Vasa Recta
,Consider the Renal Corpuscule, how does it manage to filter out small proteins like albumin that
can fit through the pores of the capillary walls? - ANS-The Glomerular Membrane is composed
of:
- The wall of glomerular capillaries
- Basement membrane
- Inner layer of Bowman's capsule.
They allow for the passage of everything except proteins and cells.
Which of the tubular segments is impermeable to sodium? - ANS-Descending Loop of Henle
Describe all the possible transport events that occur in the proximal tubule. - ANS-Sodium helps
brings in the following...
Glucose
Amino Acids
Water
Urea
Potassium
Explain how you know for certain that the kidneys do not regulate plasma levels of glucose. -
ANS-Sodium is actively reabsorbed and is a co-transporter of glucose. Sodium/Glucose co-
transporters open to aid in the reabsorption of glucose. 100% of sugar filtered is reabsorbed
at a rate of ~100mg/100mL of plasma. 300mg/100mL is the THRESHOLD.
Explain how potassium secretion is linked to sodium reabsorption, but only in the distal tubule
and collecting duct. - ANS-Potassium secretion occurs at the DCT and Collecting Duct.
Aldosterone stimulates the Sodium/Potassium ATP pumps and opens luminal sodium
channels. Potassium is secreted while sodium is retained.
, What factors will determine if a segment of tubule is permeable to water? - ANS-Presences of
tight junctions. Water diffuses through tight junctions following sodium concentration
gradients.
Presence of aquaporin channels in the PCT and Loop of Henle.
Why are you better off being over-hydrated than dehydrated for very long? - ANS-There is a
minimal amount of urine that the body needs to excrete in order to get rid of waste.
The medullary osmotic gradient plays a key role in the kidneys ability to produce urine of varied
concentrations. What structure(s) establishes this gradient and which structure(s) uses the
gradient to vary the concentration of urine?
How is the medullary osmotic gradient used to vary the concentration of urine?
What role does ADH play? - ANS-Loop of Henle in Juxtaglomerular Nephrons establishes the
gradient.
Countercurrent flow causes the osmolarity differences to multiply as the renal tubule descends
into the medulla. The filtrate inside the descending limb becomes progressively more
concentrated, but then as it ascends back toward the cortex, active reabsorption of ions causes
it to become progressively less concentrated.
Effectively, the thick ascending limb transfers osmolarity to the descending limb and medullary
interstitial fluid. The result is that osmolarity becomes trapped in the medulla
ADH stimulates the formation of aquaporin channels on tubular membranes to reabsorb water.
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT VERIFIED ANSWERS
ALREADY GRADED A+
What is the VQ ratio? - ANS-The ratio is used to assess the efficiency and adequacy of V -
ventilation of air to the alveoli and P-perfusion of blood to the alveolar capillaries. Ideal ratio
is one.
If there is a mucus plug, ventilation will go down, while perfusion remains the same.
If perfusion goes down such as a PE, ventilation remains the same, while perfusion goes
down.
Define the basic renal processes: filtration, reabsorption, and secretion. - ANS-Filtration: ~20%
filtration.
Passive and non-selective.
Glomerular Filtration typically occurs at Bowman's Capsule. There is no filtration of blood
proteins.
Tubular Reabsorption:
Passive and ACTIVE.
Selective Reabsorption of sodium, water, and potassium.
Tubular Secretion:
Selective, active or passive process that allows for a excretion of waste products.
,What are the forces involved in glomerular filtration? Which ones promote filtration, which
ones oppose filtration? - ANS-Capillary Blood Pressure:
INCREASE Filtration
Plasma Colloid Osmotic Pressure:
Oppose Filtration
Bowman's Capsule Hydrostatic Pressure:
Oppose Filtration
What is the goal of autoregulation by the kidneys? By what mechanisms is this goal met? - ANS-
Autoregulation involves feedback mechanisms INTRINSIC to the kidney that can cause either
dilation or constriction in the AFFERENT arteriole in order to counteract BP changes and
maintain GFR.
What are the structural and functional differences between the juxtamedullary nephrons and
the cortical nephrons? - ANS-Cortical Nephrons: (80%) Short Loops of Henle that do not go
deep into the medulla, contain peritubular capillaries
Juxtamedullary Nephrons: (20%), Long Loops of Henle that extend into the medulla, only have
vasa recta. Responsible for producing concentrated urine and retaining water.
Describe the vascular components of the nephron. Which vascular parts engage in exchange of
any kind with the tubule? - ANS-Afferent Arteriole -> Bowman's Capsule ->Efferent Arteriole ->
Peritubular Capillary/Vasa Recta
Exchange can occur at Bowman's Capsule, Peritubular Capillaries, and Vasa Recta
,Consider the Renal Corpuscule, how does it manage to filter out small proteins like albumin that
can fit through the pores of the capillary walls? - ANS-The Glomerular Membrane is composed
of:
- The wall of glomerular capillaries
- Basement membrane
- Inner layer of Bowman's capsule.
They allow for the passage of everything except proteins and cells.
Which of the tubular segments is impermeable to sodium? - ANS-Descending Loop of Henle
Describe all the possible transport events that occur in the proximal tubule. - ANS-Sodium helps
brings in the following...
Glucose
Amino Acids
Water
Urea
Potassium
Explain how you know for certain that the kidneys do not regulate plasma levels of glucose. -
ANS-Sodium is actively reabsorbed and is a co-transporter of glucose. Sodium/Glucose co-
transporters open to aid in the reabsorption of glucose. 100% of sugar filtered is reabsorbed
at a rate of ~100mg/100mL of plasma. 300mg/100mL is the THRESHOLD.
Explain how potassium secretion is linked to sodium reabsorption, but only in the distal tubule
and collecting duct. - ANS-Potassium secretion occurs at the DCT and Collecting Duct.
Aldosterone stimulates the Sodium/Potassium ATP pumps and opens luminal sodium
channels. Potassium is secreted while sodium is retained.
, What factors will determine if a segment of tubule is permeable to water? - ANS-Presences of
tight junctions. Water diffuses through tight junctions following sodium concentration
gradients.
Presence of aquaporin channels in the PCT and Loop of Henle.
Why are you better off being over-hydrated than dehydrated for very long? - ANS-There is a
minimal amount of urine that the body needs to excrete in order to get rid of waste.
The medullary osmotic gradient plays a key role in the kidneys ability to produce urine of varied
concentrations. What structure(s) establishes this gradient and which structure(s) uses the
gradient to vary the concentration of urine?
How is the medullary osmotic gradient used to vary the concentration of urine?
What role does ADH play? - ANS-Loop of Henle in Juxtaglomerular Nephrons establishes the
gradient.
Countercurrent flow causes the osmolarity differences to multiply as the renal tubule descends
into the medulla. The filtrate inside the descending limb becomes progressively more
concentrated, but then as it ascends back toward the cortex, active reabsorption of ions causes
it to become progressively less concentrated.
Effectively, the thick ascending limb transfers osmolarity to the descending limb and medullary
interstitial fluid. The result is that osmolarity becomes trapped in the medulla
ADH stimulates the formation of aquaporin channels on tubular membranes to reabsorb water.
