URINARY SYSTEM
The urinary system is the most important and chief parts of excretory system. The
system plays a vital role in maintaining homeostatic of water and electrolyte
concentration within the body.
Functions of urinary system
Formation or secretion of urine.
Excretion of urine from body.
Excretion of metabolic wastes from the body.eg:- Co2, nitrogenous compound
etc.
Excretion of water and maintenance of water balance.
Regulation of the composition, volume of blood and blood pressure.
It helps in maintenance of electrolyte balance (Mainly of Na+, K+, Ca++, Cl- etc)
It helps in maintenance of pH of body fluid.
Organs of the urinary system
The urinary system consists of following structures:
Kidneys -2
Ureters-2
Urinary bladder-1
Urethra-1
KIDNEYS
The kidneys are pair of bean shaped organs that lie on posterior abdominal wall.
They are extending from the level of the T12 to L3 vertebra, when the body is in the
erect position. The kidneys are also known as retroperitoneal organs because it lies
on the posterior abdominal wall, the retroperitoneal mean behind the peritoneum.
The kidneys are reddish brown in colour and about 12cm long, 6cm wide, 3cm thick
and weight is about 150gm. The right kidney is slightly lower than the left because
of the mass of the liver.
Internal structure
Internally, each kidney is divided into two parts:
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1. Cortex:-It is reddish brown layer of tissue immediately under the capsule and
between the pyramids. It consists of 1/3 part of kidney. It has glomeruli, Bowman’s
capsules and proximal and distal part of nephron.
2. Medulla: - It is innermost layer striated and darker coloured part of kidney. It
consists of 10-18 striated pyramids and contains collecting ducts and loop of Henle
Renal sinus:
It is a cavity within the kidney and communicates outside through the hilum.
The wall of the sinus is lined by renal capsule and presents a number of renal
papillae.
Contents of renal sinus:
i. Renal blood vessels, lymph vessels and nerves.
ii. Perinephric fat.
iii. Excretory apparatus of the kidney which includes minor and major calyces, and
pelvis of ureters.
NEPHRON
Nephron is the structural and functional unit of kidney. The total number of nephron
in each kidney is about one million. The length of each nephron varies between 50
mm -55 mm. It consists of:
1. Renal Corpuscle
Glomerulus
Bowman's capsule
2. Renal tubule
Proximal Convoluted tubule
Loop of Henle
Descending limb of loop
Ascending limb of loop
Distal convoluted tubule
Collecting duct
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Each nephron consists of two parts: –renal corpuscle for filtration and renal tubule
for selective reabsorption of the filtrate until urine is formed.
RENAL CIRCULATION
Arterial supply:-In the adults, during resting conditions both kidneys receive
1300ml of blood supplied by the renal arteries, which are the branches of abdominal
aorta. It receives 22% of cardiac output.
Venous drainage: - Venous supply of the kidney is by the renal vein and then into
inferior venacava.
FUNCTIONS OF THE KIDNEYS
Formation of urine.
Osmo-regulation.
Maintains acid-base balance.
Electrolyte balance.
Secretion of hormone such as rennin and erythropoietin.
Excretion of toxin and drugs (Harmful substances).
Helps in production of vitamin D.
Regulation and maintenance of blood pressure.
Excretion of excess salts.
Excretion of water and waste products of protein metabolism.
URETERS
The ureters are long, tube like structure, they are about 25-30cm long and the
diameter is about 3mm.Ureters are fibro muscular tubes that connect the kidneys to
the urinary bladder in the pelvis.
Structure of ureters
The ureters consist of three layers of tissue.
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Outer layer covering of fibrous tissue, continuous with the fibrous capsule of the
kidney.
Middle layer consist of interlacing smooth muscle fibers.
Inner layer lining of mucous membrane, it is composed of transitional epithelium.
Function of ureters
The ureters propel the urine from the kidneys into the bladder by peristaltic
contraction of the muscular wall.
URINARY BLADDER
Urinary bladder is thin walled, elastic sac like structure, situated at the posterior part
of abdominal cavity below the rectum. They run posterior to the ductus deferens in
males and posterior to the uterine artery in female.
Structure of urinary bladder
The wall of bladder is composed of three layers:
The outer layer consists of loose connective tissue, containing blood vessels,
lymph vessels, and nerves.
The middle layer consists of an interlacing smooth muscle fibers and elastic
tissue.
The inner layer is composed of transitional epithelium.
Capacity of bladder
Sense of filling of bladder first starts at a capacity of 100 to 150 ml, and first
desires for Micturition usually appears at a capacity of 150-250 ml.
Physiological capacity of distension of bladder without undue discomfort varies
with age and psychic factors. In normal adult it ranges between 250 -450 ml,
whereas in the newborn it is about 20-50 ml.
Painful sensation starts when the amount of urine reaches above 450 ml. On
collection of about 800 ml, the Micturition is beyond voluntary control.
Anatomical capacity of the bladder means the volume of urine just before the
rupture of bladder. It amounts to about one liter or more.
Function of urinary bladder
It stores urine and discharge outside the body through urethra.
URETHRA
The urethra is a canal extending from the internal urethral orifice to the external
urethral orifice.
Male Urethra = 18 -20 cm long.
It is a common tubular passage for the elimination of urine and semen
It extends from the internal urethral orifice at the apex of the trigone of the
bladder to the external urethral orifice close to the tip of the glans penis.
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It has three parts: prostatic, membranous and spongy part.
Female urethra = 4 cm.
It begins from the internal urethral orifice of the bladder, and passes downwards and
forwards embedded in the anterior wall of the vagina.
Structure of urethra
The muscular layer which is continuous with the bladder is composed of elastic
tissue, smooth muscle fibers.
The sub mucosa layer is spongy layer containing blood vessels and nerves.
The mucosa layer consists of stratified squamous epithelium the lower part,
continuous externally with the skin over the vulva.
Functions of urethra
Passage way for eliminating urine from the body.
In the male urethra is also terminal portion of the reproductive tract and serves as
the passage way for the reproductive fluid (semen).
MECHANISM OF URINE FORMATON
Kidney excretes the unwanted substances including metabolic end products and
those substances which are present in excessive quantities in the body, through
urine. Normally, about 1-1.5liters of urine is formed every day. The mechanism of
urine formation includes various processes.
Simple filtration/Glomerular filtration
Tubular reabsorption
Tubular secretion
SIMPLE FILTRATION:
Filtration occurs through the semi permeable membrane due to the Pressure
difference in the Glomerulus and Bowman’s capsule.
A) Inward pressure [Glomerular Hydrostatic pressure] = 60mm of Hg.
B) Outward pressure (Colloidal osmotic pressure + Hydrostatic Pressure in
Bowman's capsule) = 32 + 18 mm of Hg
Net filtration pressure = 60-50 mm of Hg = 10 mm of Hg.
Water and large number of small molecular substances pass through leaving behind
blood cells, plasma protein and other large molecular substances remain in the
capillaries.
Glomerular filtration rate:-
The total quantity of filtrate formed in all the nephron is both kidneys in the given
unit of time is called glomerular filtration rate(GFR).It is 125ml/min,about 180
liter/day. But, formation of urine is only about 1-1.5liter, this result because of the
fact that 99% of glomerular filtration is reabsorbed.
TUBULAR REABSORPTION:
Tubular reabsorption is the movement of substances from the filtrate in the
kidney tubules, into the blood in the peritubular capillaries.
A). Proximal convoluted Part:
65%-70% of the filtrate is reabsorbed and only 30% filtrate remains. Here
Glucose, amino acid, NaCl, vitamins are reabsorbed completely. The tubular
fluid remains isotonic to plasma.
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B) Descending limb:
Na+ and water are reabsorbed. Only 20% of filtrate remains. It also remains
isotonic to plasma.
C) Ascending limb:
Only Na+ reabsorption takes place and the filtrate remains hypotonic because this
portion is impermeable to water.
D) Distal convoluted Tubule:
Water absorption takes place under the influence of ADH. Cl - and Na+ are also
reabsorbed.
E) Collecting duct
Reabsorption of Na+ and water (Due to ADH) takes place and the filtrate
becomes hypertonic. Only 1% of the filtrate passes as urine.
TUBULAR SECRETIONS:
A) In proximal convoluted tubules: H+, K+, NH3 is secreted.
B) In descending limb: Na+ by passive diffusion.
C) In ascending tubules: urea by passive diffusion.
D) In distal convoluted tubules: NH3 is secreted and also K+ and H+ with the help of
exchange pump.
Transport of substances into the filtrate is called tubular secretion. These include
H+, K+, NH3, Urea, creatinine and some drugs.
COMPOSITION OF URINE
Water - 96%
Urea - 2%
Uric acid, creatinine, Ammonia, Sodium,
Potassium, Chlorides, Phosphates, Sulphates, Oxalates 2%
Healthy adult passes 1, 000-1500ml/day.
MICTURITION OF URINE
The collection of urine from kidneys to urinary bladder through ureters and
removing outside time to time by peristalsis movement through urethra is called
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Micturition of urination. In micturition, urethra relaxes, ureters conduct the urine
from the kidney to the trigone of the urinary bladder and then to the body of the
bladder. Micturition can be voluntary, initiated and inhibited.
The urge for micturition of urination occurs
during 300-400 ml of urine has been collected in the bladder. The urge can be
postponed voluntarily but with store urine of 700-800ml, the urge becomes painful
and irresistible. The collection of more urine causes the pressure to rise very rapidly.
The sensory nerves carry impulses from the stretch receptors of spinal cord initiated
with muscles of urinary bladder contracts and urethral sphincters are relaxed. The
force acts upon the urinary bladder and urethra, then urine passes outside through
urethra which leads to micturition.
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