THE

URINARY
SYSTEM
Ballad, Diana B.
Fontanilla, Jerlyne T.
URINARY
SYSTEM
It consists of the paired kidneys and ureters,
the bladder, and the urethra. This system’s
primary role is to ensure optimal properties of
the blood,which the kidneys continuously
monitor.
FUNCTION:
• Regulation of the balance between water and
electrolytes(inorganic ions) and the acid-base balance.

• Excretion of metabolic wastes along with excess water

and electrolytes in urine, the kidneys’ excretory
• product.
Excretion of many bioactive substances, including
many drugs.
• Secretion of renin.
• Secretion of erythropoietin.
• Conversion of the steroid prohormone vitamin
D,initially produced in the skin, to the active form.
• Gluconeogenesis during starvation or periods of
prolonged fasting
 KIDN
EY
The kidneys are two bean-shaped organs that filter your
blood. The kidneys remove waste and extra water from
the blood (as urine) and help keep chemicals (such as
sodium, potassium, and calcium) balanced in the body.
The kidneys also make hormones that help control blood
pressure and stimulate bone marrow to make red blood
cells.
Approximately 12-cm long, 6-cm wide, and 2.5-cm thick in
adults, each kidney has a concave medial border, the
hilum
ANATOMY OF THE
• HILUM
KIDNEY:
• RENAL PELVIS
• MAJOR CALYSES
• MINOR CALYSES
• RENAL CORTEX
• RENAL MEDULLA
• RENALPYRAMIDS
• RENAL LOBE
• RENAL PAPILLA
• NEPHRONS
MAJOR DIVISIONS OF
• Renal corpuscle - an initial dilated part enclosing a tuft
NEPHRON:
of capillary loops and the site of blood filtration, always
located in the cortex.
• Proximal tubule - a long convoluted part, located
entirely in the cortex, with a shorter straight part that
enters the medulla.
• Loop of Henle (or nephron loop) - in the medulla, with a
thin descending and a thin ascending limb.
• Distal tubule - consisting of a thick straight part ascending
from the loop of Henle back into the cortex and a
convoluted part completely in the cortex
• Connecting tubule - a short minor part linking the
nephron to collecting ducts
BLOOD
CIRCULATION
 FILTRATION
-by which water and solutes in the blood
leave the vascular space and enter the lumen of the
nephron. RENAL
SECRETION FUNCTION
-Tubular secretion, by which substances move from
epithelial cells of the tubules into the lumens, usually
after uptake from the surrounding interstitium and
capillaries.

REABSORPT
ION
-Tubular reabsorption, by which substances move from
the tubular lumen across the epithelium into the
interstitium and surrounding capillaries.
RENAL CORPUSCLES & BLOOD
-are the filtering units of the kidneys that
FILTRATION
filter blood and form urine:

• Structure
A renal corpuscle is made up of two parts: a
glomerulus and a Bowman's capsule. The
glomerulus is a network of capillaries that
filters blood, and the Bowman's capsule is a
cup-shaped structure that collects the filtered
fluid.
RENAL CORPUSCLES & BLOOD
FILTRATION
RENAL CORPUSCLES & BLOOD
FILTRATION
 • Filtration barrier
The renal corpuscle's filtration barrier is made up of three
parts:
1.Fenestrated endothelium: The capillary
endothelium of the glomeruli
2.Fused basal lamina: The fused basal lamina of
endothelial cells and podocytes
3.Filtration slits: The filtration slits of the podocytes
 • Function
Blood pressure forces plasma from the glomerulus into
the Bowman's capsule, where it's collected as a filtrate
called capsular urine. The capsular urine then passes
into the nephron's tubule network to be further processed
into urine.
 • Number
There are about one million
renal corpuscles in each
kidney, and their number
decreases with age.
RENAL CORPUSCLES & BLOOD
FILTRATION
MESANGIAL CELLS
(Gr. Mesos, in the midst + angion, vessel)
Function
• Physical support of capillaries within the
glomerulus
• Adjusted contractions in response to blood
pressure changes, which help maintain an optimal
filtration rate
• Phagocytosis of protein aggregates adhering to
the glomerular filter, including antibody-antigen
complexes abundant in many pathological
conditions
• Secretion of several cytokines, prostaglandins,
and other factors important for immune defense
and repair in the glomerulus
PROXIMAL CONVOLUTED TUBULE
At the tubular pole of the renal corpuscle,
the simple squamous epithelium of the
capsule’s parietal layer is continuous with
the simple cuboidal epithelium of the
proximal convoluted tubule (PCT) .
PROXIMAL CONVOLUTED TUBULE
• The proximal convoluted tubule (PCT) features cells with central
nuclei and acidophilic cytoplasm due to abundant mitochondria,
facilitating active transport.

• Its apical surface is lined with microvilli, forming a brush border

that enhances reabsorption efficiency. Each PCT section typically
contains three to five nuclei, and the surrounding connective
tissue is minimal.

• Ultrastructurally, the cells exhibit pits and vesicles indicative of

endocytosis, with long mitochondria providing ATP for transport
processes.
REABSORPTION
• involves both active and passive mechanisms,
with the cells having a large variety of
transmembrane ion pumps, ion channels,
transporters, enzymes, and carrier proteins.

• Water and certain solutes can also move passively

between the cells (paracellular transport) along
osmotic gradients through leaky apical tight
junctions.
SECRETION
• Conversely, organic anions and cations not
filtered in the renal corpuscle (because of the
polyanions in the filter or binding to plasma
proteins) may be released in the peritubular
capillaries, taken up by the cells of the proximal
tubules and undergo secretion into the filtrate.
LOOP
OF
HENLE
LOOP OF
HENLE
• thin
descending
limb
• thin ascending
limb
• thick
descending
DISTAL COVULATED
TUBULE &
JUXTAGLOMERULAR
APPARATUS
 DISTAL COVULATED
•TUBULE
The ascending limb of the
nephron transitions into
the distal convoluted
tubule (DCT) as it enters
the cortex and forms the
macula densa. The DCT
exhibits significantly less
tubular reabsorption
compared to the proximal
tubule.
DISTAL COVULATED
• Sodium absorption in the DCT is
TUBULE
regulated by aldosterone. The
macula densa, which forms at
the junction with arterioles, is
part of the juxtaglomerular
apparatus (JGA) that regulates
glomerular blood flow and
filtration. Macula densa cells
have distinct characteristics
such as apical nuclei and a
complex system of ion
channels.
JUXTAGLOMERULAR
APPARATUS
• Adjacent to the macula densa, juxtaglomerular (JG) cells in
the afferent arteriole secrete renin and have specific
structural modifications. Additionally, lacis cells, or
extraglomerular mesangial cells,
provide supportive
functions similar to
those of glomerular
mesangial cells.
JUXTAGLOMERULAR
APPARATUS
The juxtaglomerular apparatus (JGA) plays a crucial role in
autoregulating glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and
controlling blood pressure. When arterial pressure rises, it
increases glomerular capillary blood pressure, resulting in
a higher GFR. This elevated GFR raises the concentrations
of Na+ and Cl– in the thick ascending limb (TAL) of the
nephron, which are detected by the macula densa cells.
JUXTAGLOMERULAR
APPARATUS
1. Decreased arterial pressure stimulates the JGA.
2.JG cells release renin.
3.Renin converts angiotensinogen to angiotensin I.
4.ACE converts angiotensin I to angiotensin II.
5.Angiotensin II raises blood pressure and stimulates
aldosterone secretion.
6.Aldosterone promotes sodium and water reabsorption.
7.Normal blood pressure stops renin secretion.
COLLECTING DUCTS
• The last part of each
nephron, the
connecting tubule,
carries the filtrate
into a collecting
system that
transports it to a
minor calyx and in
which more water is
reabsorbed if needed
by the body.
COLLECTING DUCTS
• a connecting tubule
extends from each
nephron and several
join together in the
cortical medullary rays
to form collecting ducts
of simple cuboidal
epithelium and an
average diameter of 40
μm.
PAPILLARY DUCT

• duct of Bellini
• which deliver urine directly
into the minor calyx
COLLECTING DUCT
COMPOSITION
1.PRINCIPAL
CELLS
• few organelles, sparse microvilli, and unusually
distinct cell boundaries.
• rich in aquaporins, the integral membrane pore
proteins functioning as specific channels for water
molecules, but here most aquaporins are sequestered
in membranous cytoplasmic vesicles
COLLECTING DUCT
COMPOSITION
2. INTERCALATED
CELLS
• scattered among the principal cells and variably
darker with more abundant mitochondria and
projecting apical folds.

• also occurs in the DCTs, help maintain acid-base

balance by secreting either H+ (from type A or α
intercalated cells) or HCO3– (from type B or β
intercalated cells).
RENAL TUBULE SUMMARY:
 URETERS, BLADDER, &
UrineURETHRA
is transported by the ureters from the renal pelvis to
the urinary bladder where it is stored until emptying by
micturition via the urethra. The walls of the ureters are
similar
to that of the calyces and renal pelvis, with mucosal,
muscular, and adventitial layers and becoming gradually
thicker
closer to the bladder. The mucosa of these organs is lined by
the uniquely stratified urothelium or transitional epithelium
 CELLS OF this epithelium are organized as three layers

• A single layer of small basal

cells

• An intermediate region

• A superficial layer of large

bulbous or elliptical umbrella
cells, sometimes binucleated
 URETHRA

is a tube that carries the urine from the

bladder to the exterior. The urethral
mucosa has prominent longitudinal folds,
giving it a distinctive appearance in
cross
section. In men, the two ducts for sperm
transport during ejaculation join the
urethra at the prostate gland
THE MALE URETHRA IS LONGER AND CONSISTS OF THR
SEGMENTS:
• The prostatic urethra, 3-4 cm long, extends through the
prostate gland and is lined by urothelium.
• The membranous urethra, a short segment, passes
through an external sphincter of striated muscle and is
lined by stratified columnar and pseudostratified columnar
epithelium.
• The spongy urethra, about 15 cm in length, is enclosed
within erectile tissue of the penis and is lined by stratified
columnar and pseudostratified columnar epithelium, with
stratified squamous epithelium distally.
 URETER
is a muscular tube that carries
urine from the kidneys to the
bladder:

.
 URETER
• Function
The ureters move urine from the kidneys to the bladder by
using muscles in their walls to tighten and relax, forcing urine
downward.

• Anatomy
Humans typically have two ureters, one connecting each
kidney to the bladder. The ureters are made up of three layers:
adventitia, smooth muscle, and transitional cell epithelium
 BLADDER
is a muscular, hollow organ that stores urine and is part of the
urinary system:

Location: The bladder is located in the pelvis, between the

hip bones.
Function: The bladder stores urine until it's ready to be
emptied, a process known as urination.
Capacity: A normal bladder can hold about 1.5 to 2 cups of
urine.
How it works: When you need to urinate, the muscles in your
bladder contract and the sphincter muscles in your urethra
relax, allowing urine to flow out
FLUID TRANSPORT IN THE URINARY SYSTEM
MEDICAL
• Urinary tract infections,

APPLICATIONS:
usually involving coliform
bacteriaor Chlamydia, often
produce urethritis and in
women often lead to cystitis
because of the short urethra.
Such infections are usually
accompanied by a persistent
or more frequent urge to
urinate, and urethritis may
produce pain or difficulty
during urination (dysuria).
• Cystitis, or inflammation of the bladder
mucosa, is the most frequent problem
involving this organ. Such inflammation is
common during urinary tract infections, but
it can also be caused by immunodeficiency,
urinary catheterization, radiation, or
chemotherapy. Chronic cystitis can cause an
unstable urothelium, with benign
urothelial changes involving hyperplasia or
metaplasia. Bladder cancer is usually some
form of transitional cell carcinoma arising
from unstable urothelium
• Bacterial infections of the urinary
tract can lead to inflammation of
the renal pelvis and calyces, or
pyelonephritis. In acute
pyelonephritis, bacteria often
move from one or more minor
calyx into the associated renal
papilla, causing accumulation of
neutrophils in the collecting ducts.
• A common problem involving the ureters is their
obstruction by renal calculi (kidney stones) formed in
the renal pelvis or calyces, usually from calcium salts
(oxalate or phosphate) or uric acid. While urate stones are
usually smooth and small, calcium stones can become
large and irritate the mucosa. Problems caused by such
stones can be corrected by either surgical removal of the
stone or its disintegration using focused ultrasonic shock
waves in a procedure called lithotripsy, although this
treatment can cause significant renal damage.
• Diabetic
glomerulosclerosis, the
thickening and loss of
function in the GBM produced
as part of the systemic
microvascular sclerosis in
diabetes mellitus, is the
leading cause of (irreversible)
end-stage kidney disease
in the United States.
Treatment requires either a
kidney transplant or
regular artificial
hemodialysis.
THANK
YOU