Anatomy and Physiology

The Urinary System

Functions of the Urinary System
Elimination of waste products
 Nitrogenous wastes
 Toxins
 Drugs
Regulate aspects of homeostasis Kidney Structures
 Water balance  Medullary pyramids – triangular
 Electrolytes regions of tissue in the medulla
 Acid-base balance in the blood  Renal columns – extensions of cortex-
 Blood pressure like material inward
 Red blood cell production  Calyces – cup-shaped structures that
funnel urine towards the renal pelvis
 Activation of vitamin D
3 PROTECTIVE LAYERS OF KIDNEY
Organs of the Urinary system
(DEEP TO SUPERFICIAL)
 Kidneys
1. FIBROUS CAPSULE – encloses
 Ureters kidney; glistening appearance
 Urinary bladder 2. PERIRENAL FAT CAPSULE – cushion
 Urethra 3. RENAL FASCIA – most superficial
layer; made of dense fibrous connective
tissue; anchors kidney and adrenals to
surrounding tissues

Location of the Kidneys

 Against the dorsal body wall
 At the level of T12 to L3
 The right kidney is slightly lower than
the left
 Attached to ureters, renal blood
vessels, and nerves at renal hilus
 Atop each kidney is an adrenal gland
Regions of the Kidney
 Renal cortex – outer region
 Renal medulla – inside the cortex
 Renal pelvis – inner collecting tube

1
Anatomy and Physiology
Blood Flow in the Kidneys  Includes most nephrons
Juxtamedullary nephrons
 Found at the boundary of the cortex
and medulla

Nephrons
 The structural and functional units of
the kidneys
 Responsible for forming urine
 Main structures of the nephrons
 Glomerulus
 Renal tubule
Glomerulus Peritubular Capillaries
 A specialized  Arise from efferent arteriole of the
capillary bed glomerulus
 Attached to  Normal, low pressure capillaries
arterioles on both sides (maintains  Attached to a venule
high pressure)  Cling close to the renal tubule
 Large afferent  Reabsorb (reclaim) some substances
arteriole from collecting tubes
 Narrow efferent Urine Formation Processes
arteriole  Filtration
 The glomerulus sits within a  Reabsorption
glomerular capsule (the first part of the  Secretion
renal tubule)

Renal Tubule
 Glomerular (Bowman’s) capsule Filtration
 Proximal convoluted tubule  Nonselective passive process
 Loop of Henle  Water and solutes smaller than
 Distal convoluted tubule proteins are forced through capillary
walls
 Blood cells cannot pass out to the
capillaries
 Filtrate is collected in the glomerular
capsule and leaves via the renal
tubule
Reabsorption
 The peritubular capillaries reabsorb
several materials
 Some water
 Glucose
 Amino acids
Types of Nephrons  Ions
Cortical nephrons  Some reabsorption is passive, most is
 Located entirely in the cortex active

2
Anatomy and Physiology
 Most reabsorption occurs in the
proximal convoluted tubule
Materials Not Reabsorbed
 Nitrogenous waste products
 Urea
 Uric acid
 Creatinine
 Excess water

Secretion – Reabsorption in Reverse

 Some materials move from the
peritubular capillaries into the renal
tubules
 Hydrogen and potassium ions
 Creatinine
 Materials left in the renal tubule move
toward the ureter
Formation of Urine

Characteristics of Urine Used for Medical

Diagnosis
 Colored somewhat yellow due to the
pigment urochrome (from the
destruction of hemoglobin) and solutes
 Sterile
 Slightly aromatic
 Normal pH of around 6 (varies 4.5-8)
 Specific gravity of 1.001 to 1.035
Ureters
 Slender tubes attaching the kidney to
the bladder
 Continuous with the renal pelvis
 Enter the posterior aspect of the
bladder
 Runs behind the peritoneum
 Peristalsis aids gravity in urine
transport
Urinary Bladder
 Smooth, collapsible, muscular sac
 Temporarily stores urine
 Trigone – three openings
 Two from the ureters

3
Anatomy and Physiology
 One to the urethrea  Young adult females – 50%
 Young adult males – 60%
 Babies – 75%
 Old age – 45%
 Water is necessary for many body
functions and levels must be
maintained
Distribution of Body Fluid
Urinary Bladder Wall  Intracellular fluid (inside cells)
 Three layers of smooth muscle  Extracellular fluid (outside cells)
(detrusor muscle)  Interstitial fluid
 Mucosa made of transitional  Blood plasma
epithelium
 Walls are thick and folded in an empty
bladder
 Bladder can expand significantly
without increasing internal pressure
Urethra
 Thin-walled tube that carries urine
from the bladder to the outside of the
body by peristalsis The Link Between Water and Salt
 Release of urine is controlled by two -Changes in electrolyte balance causes
sphincters water to move from one compartment to
 Internal urethral sphincter another
(involuntary)  Alters blood volume and blood
 External urethral sphincter pressure
(voluntary)  Can impair the activity of cells
Urethra Gender Differences Maintaining Water Balance
 Length  Water intake must equal water output
 Females – 3–4 cm (1 inch)  Sources for water intake
 Males – 20 cm (8 inches)  Ingested foods and fluids
 Location  Water produced from metabolic
 Females – along wall of the vagina processes
 Males – through the prostate and  Sources for water output
penis  Vaporization out of the lungs
 Function  Lost in perspiration
 Females – only carries urine  Leaves the body in the feces
 Males – carries urine and is a  Urine production
passageway for sperm cells  Dilute urine is produced if water intake
Micturition (Voiding) is excessive
-Both sphincter muscles must open to  Less urine (concentrated) is produced
allow voiding if large amounts of water are lost
 The internal urethral sphincter is  Proper concentrations of various
relaxed after stretching of the electrolytes must be present
bladder Regulation of Water and Electrolyte
 Activation is from an impulse sent Reabsorption
to the spinal cord and then back via  Regulation is primarily by hormones
the pelvic splanchnic nerves  Antidiuretic hormone (ADH)
 The external urethral sphincter prevents excessive water loss in
must be voluntarily relaxed urine
Maintaining Water Balance  Aldosterone regulates sodium ion
 Normal amount of water in the human content of extracellular fluid
body  Triggered by the

4
Anatomy and Physiology
rennin-angiotensin
mechanism
 Cells in the kidneys and hypothalamus
are active monitors
Maintaining Water/Electrolyte Balance

Maintaining Acid-Base Balance in Blood

 Blood pH must remain between 7.35
and 7.45 to maintain homeostasis
 Alkalosis – pH above 7.45
 Acidosis – pH below 7.35
 Most ions originate as byproducts of
cellular metabolism
 Most acid-base balance is maintained
by the kidneys
 Other acid-base controlling systems
 Blood buffers
 Respiration
Developmental Aspects of the Urinary
System
 Functional kidneys are developed by
the third month
 Urinary system of a newborn
 Bladder is small
 Urine cannot be concentrated
 Control of the voluntary urethral
sphincter does not start until age 18
months
 Urinary infections are the only
common problems before old age
Aging and the Urinary System
 There is a progressive decline in
urinary function
 The bladder shrinks with aging
 Urinary retention is common in males