PCOL 838 EXAM 2 2025 QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS
What do the kidneys do?
filter blood and produce urine
Where are the kidneys located
Paired, bean-shaped organs are located in the middle of your back, just below the rib cage
How is the kidney divided?
Divided into outer cortex and inner medulla (renal pyramids and columns)
What does the excretory duct system do?
transports urine
What does the the ureter do?
delivers urine into bladder
What is the renal pelvis?
expanded upper portion of ureter
What are the major calyces?
subdivisions of renal pelvis
What are minor calyces?
subdivisions of major calyces into which renal papillae discharge
What does the bladder do?
stores urine until it is released into the urethra
What does the urethra do?
conveys urine from the bladder for excretion
1 @COPYRIGHT THESTAR 2025/2026
, What do the kidneys regulate?
fluid, acid-base and electrolyte balance
What kind of organ are the kidneys?
Excretory organ, along with lungs, excreting waste products of food metabolism
What are the functions of the kidneys?
1. Excrete waste products of food metabolism
2. Regulate mineral and H2O balance
3. Produce two hormones: erythropoietin and renin
What are the waste products of food metabolism?
CO2 and H2O: from carbohydrate and fat metabolism
Urea and other acids: from protein metabolism that can only be excreted by kidneys
What is the body's internal environment determined by?
by what the kidneys retain not by what a person ingests
What does erythropoietin do?
regulates RBC production in marrow
What does renin do?
helps regulate blood pressure
What is the nephron?
Basic structural and functional unit of the kidney. About 1 million nephrons in each kidney. Each
consists of glomerulus and renal tubule
What is the glomerulus?
A tuft of capillaries located within Bowman's capsule supplied by an afferent glomerular
arteriole that recombine into an efferent glomerular arteriole
How is material filtered through the glomerulus?
• Material is filtered by a 3-layered glomerular filter
1.Inner: fenestrated capillary endothelium
2.Middle: basement membrane
3.Outer: capillary endothelial cells (foot processes and filtration slits)
How does blood enter the kidneys?
through the renal artery along with its toxins, glucose, amino acids, water, electrolytes
2 @COPYRIGHT THESTAR 2025/2026
ANSWERS
What do the kidneys do?
filter blood and produce urine
Where are the kidneys located
Paired, bean-shaped organs are located in the middle of your back, just below the rib cage
How is the kidney divided?
Divided into outer cortex and inner medulla (renal pyramids and columns)
What does the excretory duct system do?
transports urine
What does the the ureter do?
delivers urine into bladder
What is the renal pelvis?
expanded upper portion of ureter
What are the major calyces?
subdivisions of renal pelvis
What are minor calyces?
subdivisions of major calyces into which renal papillae discharge
What does the bladder do?
stores urine until it is released into the urethra
What does the urethra do?
conveys urine from the bladder for excretion
1 @COPYRIGHT THESTAR 2025/2026
, What do the kidneys regulate?
fluid, acid-base and electrolyte balance
What kind of organ are the kidneys?
Excretory organ, along with lungs, excreting waste products of food metabolism
What are the functions of the kidneys?
1. Excrete waste products of food metabolism
2. Regulate mineral and H2O balance
3. Produce two hormones: erythropoietin and renin
What are the waste products of food metabolism?
CO2 and H2O: from carbohydrate and fat metabolism
Urea and other acids: from protein metabolism that can only be excreted by kidneys
What is the body's internal environment determined by?
by what the kidneys retain not by what a person ingests
What does erythropoietin do?
regulates RBC production in marrow
What does renin do?
helps regulate blood pressure
What is the nephron?
Basic structural and functional unit of the kidney. About 1 million nephrons in each kidney. Each
consists of glomerulus and renal tubule
What is the glomerulus?
A tuft of capillaries located within Bowman's capsule supplied by an afferent glomerular
arteriole that recombine into an efferent glomerular arteriole
How is material filtered through the glomerulus?
• Material is filtered by a 3-layered glomerular filter
1.Inner: fenestrated capillary endothelium
2.Middle: basement membrane
3.Outer: capillary endothelial cells (foot processes and filtration slits)
How does blood enter the kidneys?
through the renal artery along with its toxins, glucose, amino acids, water, electrolytes
2 @COPYRIGHT THESTAR 2025/2026
