Urinary Formation Process in the Kidneys

May 5, 2011 | By Heidi Wiesenfelder

Filtration
Each kidney has about a million nephrons, where urine formation takes place. At any given time, about 20 percent of the blood is going through the kidneys to be filtered so that the body can eliminate waste and maintain hydration, blood pH and proper levels of blood substances. The first part of the process of urine formation occurs in the glomeruli, which are small clumps of blood vessels. The glomeruli act as filters, allowing water, glucose, salt and waste materials to pass through to the Bowman's capsule, which surrounds each glomerulus, but preventing the red blood cells from passing. The fluid in the Bowman's capsule is referred to as the nephric filtrate and resembles blood plasma. It also includes urea, produced from the ammonia which accumulates when the liver processes amino acids and is filtered out by the glomeruli.

Reabsorption
About 43 gallons of fluid goes through the filtration process, but most is subsequently reabsorbed rather than being eliminated. Reabsorption occurs in the proximal tubules of the nephron, which is the portion beyond the capsule, in the loop of Henle, and in the distal and collecting tubules, which are further along the nephron beyond the loop of Henle. Water, glucose, amino acids, sodium and other nutrients are reabsorbed into the bloodstream in the capillaries surrounding the tubules. Water moves via the process of osmosis: movement of water from an area of higher concentration to one of lower concentration. Usually all the glucose is reabsorbed, but in diabetic individuals, excess glucose remains in the filtrate. Sodium and other ions are reabsorbed incompletely, with a greater proportion remaining in the filtrate when more is consumed in the diet, resulting in higher blood concentrations. Hormones regulate the process of active transport by which ions like sodium and phosphorus are reabsorbed. Alkaline H20 Information Ionized water causes dehydration. M-Water hydrates with healing power www.0disease.com Sponsored Links

Secretion
Secretion is the final step in the process of urine formation. Some substances move directly from the blood in capillaries around the distal and collecting tubules into those tubules. Secretion of hydrogen ions via this process is part of the body's mechanism for maintaining proper pH, or acid-base balance. More ions are secreted when the blood is acidic, less when it is alkaline. Potassium ions, calcium ions and ammonia also are secreted at this stage, as are some medications. The kidney is considered a homeostatic organ, one that helps maintain the chemical composition of the blood within strict limits. It does this partly by stepping up secretion of substances such as potassium and calcium when concentrations are high and by increasing reabsorption and reducing secretion when levels are low.

The urine created by this process then passes to the central part of the kidney called the pelvis, where it flows into the ureters and then the bladder.

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/73336-urinary-formation-process-kidneys/#ixzz26KtDPK2e

Potassium & Urination

0 Comments Jun 21, 2011 | By Chizorom Ebisike

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oto Credit Comstock/Comstock/Getty Images

There is more potassium inside your body's cells than outside. This varied distribution of potassium across the cell membrane favors the outflow of potassium from the cell. When potassium leaves the cell, it enters the circulation and is eventually secreted into the urine. When the outflow of urine is unobstructed, decreased formation of urine is associated with increased potassium excretion.

Potassium Regulation
The adrenal glands and kidneys are the most important organs involved with potassium regulation. The adrenal glands -- or more specifically, the adrenal cortex -- produce aldosterone, a steroid hormone released when blood potassium is increased or when blood flow to the kidneys is decreased; without receptors in the kidneys, aldosterone would have no effect on potassium regulation. Decreased blood flow to the kidneys results in decreased urine formation. Glycated Albumin (GSP) 510 k Cleared excellent performance For Clinical Chemistry Analzyers www.diazyme.com Sponsored Links

Causes of Decreased Urination and Increased Potassium Excretion

Circulatory shock, or severely decreased blood pressure, results in the lack of effective blood circulation to organs of the body, including the kidneys. In circulatory shock, the kidneys respond by triggering the eventual release of aldosterone. Circulatory shock can be caused by infection, severe hemorrhage, dehydration and heart failure. A severe allergic reaction can also cause excessive widening of blood vessels, which reduces blood pressure and blood flow to the kidneys.

Potassium excretion and Increased Urination

Increased excretion of potassium can occur as a consequence of diuretic use; diuretics are used in the treatment of fluid overload and hypertension. All diuretics result in increased water excretion, and therefore increased urine formation. Furosemide -- a loop diuretic -- directly causes the excretion of potassium in the kidneys.

Diabetes, which causes increased urination, is associated with hyperkalemia, or increase blood potassium, due to lack of insulin and reduced aldosterone secretion; diabetes results in decreased excretion of potassium.

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/475802-potassium-urination/#ixzz26KtxUAsQ

Diabetes & Potassium Levels

0 Comments Feb 18, 2011 | By Joy Onugha

Photo Credit Glucose meter image by Radu Razvan from Fotolia.com Diabetes results from a disordered metabolism of glucose, thereby, causing markedly elevated blood glucose levels. Diabetes is commonly associated with abnormal blood potassium level. Abnormalities in blood potassium levels are related to high blood glucose, acidity of blood and insulin deficiency.

High Blood Glucose

Water is attracted to glucose; elevated blood glucose in the blood results in the redistribution of water from the cells to the blood, thereby, resulting in increased blood volume. Increased blood volume results in increased urine formation. Since potassium is constantly lost in urine, increased urination, results in increase potassium loss in a person with normal kidneys. High blood glucose causes more potassium to leave the cell and enter the blood. In a person with impaired kidney function, high blood glucose can lead to high blood potassium since urine output is decreased in renal failure. graphite material Professional machining graphite and carbon materials.Reasonable price! www.shungji.com Sponsored Links

Blood Acidity
In diabetes, the decreased ability to metabolize glucose, forces the body to use proteins and fats as alternative sources of energy. Lipolysis, or the breakdown of fat to release energy, results in the formation of ketones; ketones are acidic byproducts of lipid breakdown and when present in excess, can acidify the blood. Acidic blood results in the shifting of potassium from cells into the blood.

Insulin Insufficiency
Insulin is needed for a cell to internalize and use glucose. Insulin interacts with receptors on the cell membrane. For insulin to transport glucose into the cell, it needs potassium. Potassium is driven into the cell together with glucose by insulin. Insulin removes potassium from the blood; when insulin is deficient, potassium increases in the blood.

Management of Diabetes

Hyperkalemia, or high blood potassium, is not usually a problem in the early stages of diabetes, since the kidneys are probably in good condition. Deterioration of the kidneys with advancement of diabetes, increases the chances for developing hyperkalemia. It is, therefore, crucial that a person with diabetes, maintains adequate control of glucose to prevent kidney disease. Diabetes caused by lack of insulin, as opposed to that caused by resistance to insulin, is more likely to cause hyperkalemia since insulin is needed to drive potassium into the cells.

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/385239-diabetes-potassium-levels/#ixzz26KvMMYwT

ANATOMY a- Kidney: Bean-shaped organs lying in the dorsal lumbar area. The right kidney is slightly lower than the left one. On the top of it is located the adrenal medulla. The concave part of the kidney is an entry point, the hilus, for nerve and blood vessels, the renal artery (coming from the aorta) and the renal vein (going to the inferior vena cava). Internally, the kidney has 2 distinct areas, the cortex and medulla. The medulla has coneshaped masses, the pyramids, at the tip of which is the renal papilla. Urine forming in the cortex and medulla empties in the calices and is collected into the renal pelvis.

b- Urinary ducts and bladder: From the renal pelvis, urine flows into the ureters, ducts that empty in the bladder. A "flap" in the bladder acts as a valve and prevents urine reflux, back into the kidney. The urethra is a thin tube originating at the base of the bladder and ending at the external urethral orifice. A smooth muscle sphincter, around this duct, opens automatically when the bladder fills. A striated muscle, further down, forming the striated muscle sphincter allows for voluntary control.

c- Nephron: Each kidney has over 1 million blood processing units or nephrons. Each nephron consists of a glomerulus (a tuft of capillaries) tucked into the cup-shaped Bowman's capsule. This capsule continues with the proximal convoluted tubule (PCT), a coiled tube which then makes a hair-pin loop, the loop of Henle. The first part of the loop of Henle is the descending limb, the other side is the ascending limb. The tube coils again to form the distal convoluted tubule (DCT) which ends into the collecting tubule (CT). The urine collected in the CT ends at the renal papilla and the renal pelvis. Most of the nephron is located in the cortex. The Loop of Henle and the end of the CT are in the medulla. Blood vessels bring blood to the glomerulus. These vessels carry away reabsorbed fluid.

III- PHYSIOLOGY A- Urine formation: About 180 liters of blood are filtered every day, with only 1% actually becoming the urine (about 2 l).

http://www.nsbri.org/HumanPhysSpace/focus4/ep-urine.html

a- Filtration: Fluid from the blood filtrates through the pores of the capillaries and capsule. The membrane allows passage of small particles only, so proteins are excluded. About 180 liters of filtrate (= lymph - proteins) is formed per day and is composed of water, glucose, amino acids, waste products such as electrolytes, urea, creatinine ...

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b- Reabsorption: Since the kidney forms 180 liters of filtrate per day, most of it must be reabsorbed. - PCT: The PCT actively reabsorbs through pumps (using ATP) glucose, amino acids and sodium. In diabetes, when there is excess glucose, the PTC cannot reabsorb it fast enough, before it reaches the loop of Henle. Since the Loop of Henle cannot reabsorb glucose, this unreabsorbed glucose ends up (spilled) in urine. http://peer.tamu.edu/curriculum_modules/OrganSystems/module_3/Images/filt_not-re-abs.gif

http://peer.tamu.edu/curriculum_modules/OrganSystems/module_3/Images/filt_re-abs.gif

- Loop of Henle. Reabsorbs more water and NaCL. - DCT: The permeability of the wall of the DCT varies with hormonal action and allows adjustment of reabsorption to the body needs. It is the only place in the nephron that can regulated the amount of filtrate being reabsorbed.

c- Secretion: Certain wastes such as creatinine, urea, are secreted by the tubule. http://peer.tamu.edu/curriculum_modules/OrganSystems/module_3/Images/filt_re-abs.gif

B- Regulation of glomerular filtration: The flow of filtrate is directly related to the blood pressure. If it is too low, an area on the DCT will be activated and will trigger the activation of angiotensin II. Angiotensin II triggers a generalized vasoconstriction of the blood vessels. People with kidney disease will often have very high blood pressure.

C- Micturition: When the bladder fills to about 200 ml, stretch receptors are stimulated, send impulses to the sacral spine. A reflex, through the parasympathetic nerve causes relaxation of the smooth muscle sphincter and constriction of the bladder. At the same time, impulses are sent to the brain to notify it of the filling of the bladder. If the time is convenient, the person might choose to go to the bathroom. Relaxation of the striated muscle sphincter allows voiding or urination or micturition.