VMED 5127

Histology and Developmental Anatomy

Embryology of The Urinary System
Dr, Fakhri Al-Bagdadi BVSC, Ph.D
Dept. Comparative Biomedical Sciences
College of Veterinary Medicine
Louisiana State University
Baton Rouge, LA
OBJECTIVES:
1.Discuss the germ layers and embryonic structures
that differentiate into the urinary system
2.Discuss the location and significance of the three embryonic
kidney systems.
3.Discuss the structure and development of the
mesonephros and metanephros.
4.Describe the division of the urogenital
sinus into various parts and name the adult organs that are
derived from each part. 5.Understand how the caudal parts of
the mesonephric ducts and ureters are absorbed into the
urogenital sinus and the significance of this embryonic event.
6.Discuss the position
of the urachus and its significance and fate.
7.Describe the positional changes of the kidneys during
development.
I. The urogenital system
A. Urinary (excretory) system
B. Genital
(reproductive) system.
C. Embryologically are closely
related. D. Anatomically,
1.Males,
urethra conveys both urine and semen.
2.Females, urethra & vagina
open into vestibule.

F. Suprarenal (adrenal) glands.

1. Related to the kidneys cranial poles .
II.Development Urogenital system
1.Intermediate mesoderm loses its
somites connection.
2.Urogenital ridge forms on the sides of
aorta.
3.Provides the urinary and genital
systems. 4. Urogenital ridge give
rise a.
Nephrogenic cord
Provides the urinary system
b.
Gonadal ridge.
Provides the genital system
B. Urinary system consists of:
*Kidneys, which excrete urine
*Ureters, convey urine to the bladder
*Urinary bladder, stores urine temporarily
*Urethra, carries urine to exterior
C. Development of Kidneys and Ureters
a.Pronephros ,
(kidneys, in primitive fishes).
b.
Mesonephros,
Wolffian body,(amphibians kidneys)
c.Metanephros,
permanent kidneys.
1.Pronephros
a. Transitory, nonfunctional
b.Tubules open into cloaca.
c. Utilized by mesonephros
2.Mesonephrous
a. Function as interim kidneys
3. Mesonephric kidneys
a.Glomeruli and
mesonephric tubules. b.Tubules
open into the cloaca. c.Degenerate,
their tubules become efferent ductules of the
testes .
3.Metanephros
a. Primordia of permanent kidneys .
b. Urine forms throughout fetal life.
c. Urine is excreted into the
amniotic cavity and mixes with the amniotic fluid.
d. A mature fetus
swallows amniotic fluid daily, which is absorbed
by the intestine.
e. Waste products are transferred through the
placenta for elimination by maternal kidneys.
4.Permanent kidneys develop from
two sources:
a. Mesonephric diverticulum (urethra bud)
b. Mesonephric mass of intermediate
5. Metanephric diverticulum
a. Primordium of the ureter, renal
pelvis, and collecting tubules.
b. It
penetrates the metanephric mass of
intermediate mesoderm.
c. Its stalk
becomes the ureter and its expanded cranial
end forms the renal pelvis.
d. The straight
collecting tubules branch repeatedly, forms
generations of collecting tubules.
e. First
generations form the major calices
g. Remaining generations of tubules form the
collecting tubules.
h. Each arched collecting tubule induces to form
metanephric vesicles.
i. These vesicles become metanephric
tubules. J. The proximal ends of the renal tubule
become invaginated by glomeruli.
l. Each distal convoluted tubule
become confluent with arched collecting.
m. The number
of glomeruli increases gradually.
6-Uriniferous tubule has two origins:
a. Nephron, derived from the metanephric mass
of intermediate mesoderm
b. Collecting tubule, derived from the
metanephric diverticulum
7. Fetal kidneys are subdivided into lobes.
8.The lobes are still in newborn kidneys.

9. At term, each kidney contains 800,000 to

1,000,000 nephrons.
10. Functional
maturation of the kidneys occurs after birth..
11. Positional Changes of Kidneys
a. Metanephric kidneys lie in the pelvis.
b.
The kidneys come to lie in the abdomen.
c. This
“migration” results from the growth of the
embryo’s body caudal to the kidneys.
d. They are
retroperitoneal (external to the peritoneum)
e. The hilum
of the kidney, 1) faces
ventrally; as the kidney “ascends,”
2) it rotates medially almost 90 degrees.
13. Changes in Blood Supply of Kidneys
a. As the kidneys “ascend” they receive their blood
supply from close by vessels.
b. Renal arteries are branches
of common iliac arteries.
c. As they “ascend”,
the kidneys receive their blood supply from the aorta.

d. When they reach a higher level, they receive

new branches from the aorta.
e. The caudal branches
undergo involution and disappear.
f. As kidneys come into
contact with the suprarenal glands in the their “ascent”
stops.
g. They get their arterial branches are from the aorta
13.Accessory Renal Arteries
a. Accessory (supernumerary) renal arteries arise from
the aorta .
b. Accessory renal
arteries may, 1)
enter the kidneys directly,
2)into the cranial or caudal pole of the kidney
3) cross the ureter and
obstruct it, causing hydronephrosis, distention of renal
pelvis and calices with urine.
4) enter the inferior pole of
the right kidney 5) crosses anterior
to the inferior vena cava and ureter.
c. Accessory renal arteries are end
arteries, if an accessory artery is damaged or ligated,
the part of the kidney it supply become ischemic.
14. Congenital Anomalies of the Kidneys and Ureters
a. Renal Agenesis
1)Unilateral absence of a kidney.

2) Bilateral renal agenesis no urine is excreted into the

amniotic cavity
3)decreased amniotic fluid volume alerts the
sonographer to search for urinary tract anomalies.

4) Absence of kidneys, metanephric diverticula fail to

develop or the primordia of the ureters degenerate.

5) Failure of the metanephric diverticulum to penetrate

the metanephric mesoderm results in absence of
kidney.
16.Malrotated Kidney
a. kidney fails to rotate,
1)hilum faces
cranially,
2) hilum faces caudally,

3) hilum faces laterally,

4)Abnormal kidney .
17. Ectopic Kidneys
a. In the pelvis or lie in the inferior part of the abdomen.
b.
Result from failure of the kidneys to “ascend.”
c. Pelvic kidneys are close to
each other and may fuse to form a discoid kidney.
f. Crossed renal ectopia
Both kidneys on the right side of the
abdomen.
g. Fused kidneys.

h. One kidney “ascends” carrying the other one

with it.
18- Horseshoshaped Kidney
a. Kidneys poles are fused.
b. Large U-shaped
kidney. c. Ascent of
fused kidneys are caught by the inferior
mesenteric artery. d. A
horshoe kidney its ureters enter the bladder. e. If
19. Duplications of Urinary Tract

a. Duplications of the abdominal ureter and the

renal pelvis.
b. These result from division of the
metanephric diverticulum.
c. Incomplete division
of the ureteric primordium results in a divided
kidney with a bifid ureter.
d. Complete division results in a
double kidney with a bifid ureter or separate
ureters.
e. A supernumerary kidney with
its own ureter is due to formation of two
20. Ectopic Ureter
a. Opens anywhere except the urinary bladder.
b.
Male, ectopic ureters , open into
1) bladders neck
2)
prostatic part of the urethra,
3) ductus deferens,
4)seminal vesicle gland
b. Female, ectopic
ureter,opens
1) Bladder neck,
2) Urethra,
3) Vagina
21.Cystic Kidney Disease
a. Small cysts, result in renal insufficiency.
b. Infant
death, occurs shortly after birth
c. Infants may
survive by postnatal dialysis and kidney
transplantation.
d. Multicystic dysplastic kidney disease (MDK)
happen during development of the renal system.

e. Gene mutations and faulty signaling are

implicated.
22. Development of Urinary Bladder
A. Urorectal septum divide the cloaca into a
1.dorsal rectum
2.ventral urogenital sinus.

2.Urogenital sinus is divided into

a. Cranial part, is continuous with the
allantois b.Middle
part, the urethra in the bladder neck
c.
prostatic part in males and entire urethra in
females.
Urinary
bladder develops from,
c. Bladder continuation with the allantois, become
fibrous chord the urachus. It extends from the
bladder to the umbilicus.

.
In the adult the urachus is
represented by the median umbilical ligament.

Parts of the mesonephric ducts

contribute to the trigone of the bladder.

The apex of the adult urinary bladder

23. Urachal Anomalies
a. Urachal cysts are detected when they
become infected and enlarge.
b.
Urachus may form a urachal sinus opens at the
umbilicus.
c. Patent urachus forms a urachal fistula
where urine dripple from the umbilical orifice.
24.Development of Urethra
a. Urogenital sinus endoderm gives the
epithelium of the male and female urethra.
b. The
urethra in the penis glans is derived from
ectodermal cells from the tip of the glans.
Urachal Cyst Inferior to the Umbilicus
Two Urachal Sinuses
1.One Open in the Umbilicus
2.One Open Into the Bladder
Patent Urachus or Urachal Fistula
Connecting the Bladder and Umbilicus
25. Development of Suprarenal Glands
a. Cortex develops from mesoderm
b. Medulla
differentiates from neural crest cells.
c. Medullary are derived from
sympathetic ganglion, which is derived from
neural crest cells.

26.Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia

a. Abnormal increase in the cells of the
suprarenal cortex results in excessive androgen
production during the fetal period.
b. In females this causes masculization of the
external genitalia and enlargement of the clitoris.