ABSTRACT
Mechanistically, the kidneys act by ltering the blood, then selectively resorbing specic materials from
the ltrate, based on the dynamic needs and physiologic state of the body. is combination of unselective (other than by molecular weight or size) ltration followed by selective reabsorption allows not only for the mass elimination of waste materials but also for the retention
10.1 Kidney General Overview: Anatomy, Physiology, and Basic Functions 137 10.2 Excretion 138
10.2.1 Filtration 139 10.2.2 Reabsorption (Tubular Reuptake) 140 10.2.3 Secretion 140
10.3 Blood Pressure Control 141 10.4 Hormone Production 141
10.4.1 Erythropoeitin 141 10.4.2 Calcitriol 142 10.4.3 Gluconeogenesis 142
10.5 Clinical Measurements of Renal Function 142 10.5.1 Blood Urea Nitrogen 142 10.5.2 Creatinine 143 10.5.3 Glomerular Filtration Rate 143
10.6 Examples of Toxins 143 10.6.1 Heavy Metals 143 10.6.2 Aminoglycosides 144 10.6.3 Chemotherapeutic Agents 144 10.6.4 Hexachorobutadiene 144 10.6.5 Aristolochic Acid 144 10.6.6 Orellanine 144
Bibliography 145
SIDEBAR 10.1 KIDNEY STONES (NEPHROLITHIASIS)
Kidney stones (nephrolithiasis) can occasionally cause some degree of renal failure. e most common symptom of kidney stones is extreme pain as the stones or parts thereof transit the ureters. Considerable pain can be associated with tissue stretching during this process. If stones have not migrated to the distal collection system, they may still cause localized renal failure by causing back pressure into the cortex.
