Renal Physiology

MCAT Basics (from MedSchoolCoach)

MedSchoolCoach

Science

4.6 • 612 Ratings

🗓️ 31 December 2024

⏱️ 53 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Understanding the kidneys' role in the body’s balance is essential for the MCAT and beyond.

In this episode, host Sam Smith discusses renal physiology, covering everything from kidney anatomy to the nephron’s critical functions in filtration, reabsorption, secretion, and excretion. You’ll explore the roles of the renal cortex and medulla, learn about the loop of Henle, and uncover the importance of ions, plasma volume, and pH regulation in kidney function. Plus, we’ll examine hormones like ADH and aldosterone and their impact on fluid balance, as well as essential measurements like glomerular filtration rate (GFR) for assessing kidney health.

Visit MedSchoolCoach.com for more help with the MCAT.

Jump into the conversation:

(00:00) Intro to renal physiology

(02:43) Kidney anatomy overview

(08:38) Nephron structure and function

(09:50) Six key functions of the kidney

(12:03) Nephron Processes: Filtration

(17:32) Nephron Processes: Reabsorption and secretion

(22:51) The Loop of Henle

(26:05) Understanding osmolarity in the Loop of Henle

(26:55) Ion transport in the ascending limb

(32:04) The role of the collecting duct

(37:18) Hormonal regulation of the nephron

(46:50) Key measurements of renal function

(50:15) MCAT Advice of the Day

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	Welcome to MCAT Basics, your ultimate guide to the essential topics you need to master for the MCAT,
0:07.0	brought to you by the physicians at Med School Coach.
0:10.0	Every week, Sam Smith breaks down high-yield MCAT topics, ensuring you're primed for success on test day.
0:17.0	Join Sam as we explore the most crucial subjects outlined by the AAMC, pulled from official practice materials and third-party resources.
0:25.0	Get ready to elevate your MCAT game with topics tailored to maximize your score potential.
0:30.2	Hello, I'm Sam Smith.
0:32.7	This podcast will cover renal physiology, and this is one of the most important topics to understand regarding the excretory system
0:39.9	that's going to show up on the MCAT.
0:42.3	First, I'm going to go over a little bit of anatomy, just what's necessary so that you can
0:47.2	understand the physiology.
0:48.9	And then I'll go over different functions of the kidneys and the mechanisms that the kidney uses in order to complete these functions.
0:56.1	And then I'll talk about three hormones that affect the kidneys, more specifically affect the nephron,
1:01.7	which is the functional unit of the kidney.
1:04.6	And then lastly, I'll briefly mention a few measurements of renal functions such as glomerular filtration rate.
1:11.4	And I think this is a good podcast for really anyone who wants to understand the kidneys,
1:16.2	which are pretty interesting organs.
1:18.1	And so, you know, if you have a friend maybe that's interested in understanding how the kidney
1:22.1	works, you know, maybe they work for a dialysis company, or maybe you have a friend who's
1:27.2	interested in health care policy
1:28.5	and understands that there is a lot of people in the U.S. that suffer from these kidney-related
1:33.9	diseases. It's estimated that one in three people have chronic kidney disease. And obviously
1:39.1	that's a lot of health care to pay for. And a lot of these patients are actually covered by
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from MedSchoolCoach, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of MedSchoolCoach and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.