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Kidney Functions and Malfunctions

The kidney as an endocrine gland and kidney failure

  • 3 things to know
  • Components 01, 02 and 03

Overview

Recall questions on the hormone that drives erythrocyte production, renin and angiotensin II raising blood pressure, the causes of kidney damage, albumin in urine, and estimating filtration rate.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

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Key term

How does erythropoietin restore the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood by negative feedback?

Key term

How can a kidney stone lead to kidney damage?

Key term

Why does kidney failure greatly raise the risk of cardiovascular disease?

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

  1. 1

    Which hormone secreted by the kidney controls the production of erythrocytes?

    Model answer

    Erythropoietin.

  2. 2

    What stimulates the kidney to secrete erythropoietin?

    Model answer

    A fall in the oxygen concentration of the blood reaching the kidney.

  3. 3

    How does erythropoietin restore the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood by negative feedback?

    Model answer

    Erythropoietin stimulates the bone marrow to produce more erythrocytes, so more haemoglobin is available and more oxygen is carried, and the resulting rise in blood oxygen reduces erythropoietin secretion again.

  4. 4

    What is renin, and what causes the kidney to release it?

    Model answer

    Renin is an enzyme released by the kidney when the blood pressure or the blood sodium concentration falls.

  5. 5

    How does renin lead to the formation of angiotensin II?

    Model answer

    Renin catalyses the conversion of the plasma protein angiotensinogen into angiotensin I, which is then converted into angiotensin II by angiotensin-converting enzyme, mainly in the lungs.

  6. 6

    Give two ways in which angiotensin II raises blood pressure.

    Model answer

    It causes the arterioles to constrict, which increases resistance, and it stimulates the adrenal cortex to release aldosterone, which increases sodium and water reabsorption and so raises blood volume.

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