ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY kgfq

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V: URINARY SYSTEM
OUTLINE NEPHRONS
I. Kidneys • Structural and functional units of kidneys which is responsible
II. Ureters for forming urine.
III. Urinary bladder • Two main structures:
IV. Urethra o Glomerulus
KIDNEYS o Renal tubule
• Small (5 inches long, 2.5 inches wide, and 1 inch thick), dark
red, bean shaped organ against dorsal body, in retroperitoneal GLUMERULUS
(beneath parietal peritoneum) position, in superior lumbar (T12 • A knot of capillaries with high pressure and acts as a blood
to L3) region. filter.
• Since crowded by liver, right kidney is slightly lower than left. o Afferent Arteriole
o Renal Hilum – medial indentation ▪ feeds glomerulus
o Adrenal Gland – atop each kidney o Efferent Arteriole
o Fibrous Capsule – encloses kidney and gives ▪ receives blood that has passed through
glistening appearance glomerulus
o Peri-Renal Fat Capsule – fatty mass surrounding
kidneys which cushions against blow RENAL TUBULES
o Renal Fascia – outermost capsule and holds • Peritubular Capillaries
kidneys against muscles of trunk wall o Capillary bed that arises from efferent arterioles and
REGIONS drain into interlobar veins leaving the cortex.
• Renal Cortex Outer region, light in color. o Low pressure vessels that cling closely to the whole
• Renal Medulla Dark red-brown area that has many triangular length of renal tubules which are adapted for
regions with striped appearance (renal or medullary pyramids) absorption instead of filtration.
and separated with renal columns. • Glomerular Or Bowman’s Capsule
• Renal Pelvis Continuous within the ureters and up to the o closed end of the renal tubule and surrounds the
calyces which extends to the pyramids and collects urine. glomerulus
• Podocytes inner cell layer of capsule with highly modified
BLOOD SUPPLY octopus-like cells
• Renal artery • The Tubes
• Segmental artery o proximal convoluted tubule
• Interlobar artery o loop of henle
• Arcuate artery o distal convoluted tubule
• Cortical radiate artery o collecting duct
• Cortical radiate veins • Cortical Nephrons Most nephrons are cortical nephrons
• Arcuate veins because they are located entirely in the renal cortex.
• Interlobal veins • Juxtamedullary Nephrons Situated close to the cortex and
• Renal vein medulla junction, and their loop of henle dip deep into the
medulla.

URINE FORMATION

GLOMERULAR FILTRATION
• A non-selective, passive process in which fluid passes from
blood into glomerular capsule.
• Once in capsule, fluid is called filtrate (blood plasma without
proteins and cells).
• In 24 hours, kidneys filter 150 to 180 liters of blood plasma

TUBULAR REABSORPTION

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• Filtrate contains many useful substances (H20, glucose, amino
acids, ions) that must be returned to the blood through
absorption by peritubular capillaries.
• This process begins as soon as filtrate enters the proximal
convoluted tubule.
o Passive Absorption By Osmosis – H2O
o Active Transport – glucose, amino acids
• poor reabsorption of nitrogenous waste products:
o urea – formed by liver as end product of protein
breakdown when amino acids are used to produce
energy
o Uric Acid – when nucleic acids are metabolized
o Creatinine – metabolism in muscle tissue
• This is essentially tubular reabsorption done in reverse.
• Hydrogen, potassium, creatinine, and drugs are removed from
peritubular blood and secreted into the filtrate.
CHARACTERISTICS OF URINE
• Contains nitrogenous wastes and unneeded substances, and
in 24 hours, 1 to 1.8 liters of urine is produced.
• Clear, pale to deep yellow due to urochrome (pigment that
results from destruction of hemoglobin).
• Sterile, slightly aromatic and has ammonia odor (action of
bacteria on urine solutes)
• Acidic pH of around 6, and SG is 1.001 to 1.035 since it is
denser than water.
• Three openings, two ureter openings and single opening of
urethra (trigone).
• In males, prostate gland surrounds neck of bladder and
empties into urethra.
• When moderately full, it reaches 5 inches long, can hold 500
ml of urine, but capable of holding more than twice amount.
• Once 200 ml is collected, stretching of bladder wall activates
micturition or voiding.
URETHRA
• Thin-walled tube that carries urine by peristalsis from bladder
to outside of the body.
• Sphincters
o internal urethral sphincter involuntary
o external urethral sphincter voluntary
• Urethral Opening
o women 1 ½ inches long, external orifice lies
anteriorly to vaginal opening
o men 8 inches long, opens at tip of penis
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ABNORMAL URINARY CHARACTERISTICS

Glucose excessive intake of sugary foods, diabetes mellitus

Proteins physical exertion, pregnancy, glomerulonephritis,

hypertension

Pus urinary tract infection

(WBC And Bacteria)

RBC bleeding in urinary tract (trauma, kidney stones,

infection) Hemoglobin tranfusion reaction, hemolytic
anemia BILE

Pigment liver disease (hepatitis

URETERS
• Two slender tubes (10 to 12 inches long and ¼ inch in
diameter.
• Runs behind peritoneum from renal hilum to posterior aspect
of bladder.
• Passageway that carry urine from kidneys to bladder.
• Smooth muscle layers in their walls contract to propel urine into
bladder by peristalsis.

URINARY BLADDER
• A smooth, collapsible, muscular sac (detrusor muscles) that
stores urine temporarily.
• Located retroperitoneally in pelvis just posterior to the
symphysis pubis.

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