The Urinary System

Functions:
● Remove Metabolic wastes from the body
○ Nitrogenous wastes (by-products of
metabolism, urea, ammonia)
○ Toxins
○ Drugs
● Participate in homeostasis and maintain ● Calyx - where urine collects
the balance in our fluids ● Microscopic Anatomy
○ Water Balance (amount of water)
○ Electrolytes (amount of ions)
○ Acid-base balance in the blood
(keep it close to neutral, 7.2-2.3)
○ Blood Pressure (the upper three
affect blood pressure)
○ Red blood cell production
Nephron
(emoietopeoisis)
- the structural and functional units of the
○ Activation of vitamin D (with help of
kidneys
sunlight)
- One adult kidney contains a million
nephrons
Organs of the Urinary System
- Responsible for forming the urine
● Kidneys (where functions occur
- The main structure of the nephrons
● Ureters
- Renal corpuscle {glomerulus (inside) +
● Urinary Bladder (storage organ)
Bowman’s capsule (outer covering) }
● Urethra
- Renal tubule

Renal Corpuscle
● Substances (not needed by the body) move
from the blood and into the glomerular
capsular space (Bowman’s capsule)
● Substances move via passive pressure
gradient (passive transport)
● Glomerulus = specialized capillary bed;
blood vessel that is a concentration of
capillaries
● Attached to arterioles o both sides
(maintains high pressure)
Kidney ○ Large afferent arteriole - bringing
● Found towards the back of the abdominal blood towards the glomerulus
at the 12th intercostal rib, retroperitoneal ○ Narrow efferent arteriole - bringing
● The left is lower than the right because blood away from renal corpuscle
● Regions of the Kidney
○ Renal Cortex - outer region
■ Where more nephrons are
○ Renal Medulla - inside the cortex
■ Where part of the renal
tubule goes into (the loop of
henle
○ Renal Pelvis - inner collecting tube
 ● Capillaries are covered with podocytes 10. Renal Pelvis
from the renal tubules 11. Ureter
○ Special cells that cover the 12. Urethra
glomerulus that help with filtration
○ With foot processes where Urine Formation Processes
substances are filtered out 1. Glomerular filtration
● The glomerulus sits within the glomerular a. happens in glomerulus at renal
(Bowman’s) capsule (the first part of the corpuscle
renal tubule b. Direction is from the blood to the
filtrate
2. Tubular reabsorption
a. happens in the PCT and parts of
loop of Henle
b. Direction is at filtrate back to blood
c. When water is lacking in the blood,
it reabsorbs into the blood
3. Tubular secretion
a. happens at distant convoluted
tubule and collecting duct
b. From blood going to filtrate

Renal Tubules
● Differently sized tubules found in different
locations
● Proximal convoluted tubule - closer to the
Bowman’s capsule (renal corpuscle)
● Descending loop of Henle - inside the
kidneys
● Distal convoluted tubule - farthest distance
from the renal corpuscle and connects to a
Filtration
bigger collecting duct which will go and
● Glomerular capillaries filter water &
meet to the calyces
dossiolved plasma components from blood
● Collecting duct
● Movement is from the capillary into the
Bowman’s capsule
● Water and solutes are forced through
capillary walls due to hydrostatic pressure
(passive transport)
○ 60 mmHg in glomerular capillaries
and 5 mmHg in Bowman’s capsule
● Blood cells and large proteins cannot pass
out of the capillaries
● Filtrate is collected in the glomerular
capsule and leaves via the renal tubule

Pathway of Urine
1. Bowman’s capsule
2. Proximal convoluted tubule (PCT)
3. Descending loop
4. Loop of Henle
5. Ascending loop
6. Distant convoluted tubule (DCT)
7. Collecting duct Reabsorption
8. Minor Calyx ● Substances that are lacking in the body are
9. Major Calyx reabsorbed
 ● Substances are transported from the
glomerular filtrate back to blood in the ● Nitrogenous wastes
peritubular capillaries ○ Nitrogenous waste products are
○ Some water, glucose, amino acids, poorly reabsorbed, if at all
ions (sodium chloride, phosphate, ○ Tend to remain in the filtrate and
sulfate, potassium) & others (lactic, are excreted from the body in the
acid, citric acid, ascorbic acid) urine
● Some reabsorption is passive (e.g. osmosis ■ Urea—end product of
for water), most is through active transport protein breakdown
(glucose, amino acids, etc.) ■ Uric acid—results from
● Most reabsorption occurs in the proximal nucleic acid metabolism
convoluted tubule (PCT) ■ Creatinine—associated with
creatine metabolism in
Materials not Reabsorpbed muscles
● Nitrogenous waste products
○ Urea (by-product of amino acid ● Colored somewhat yellow (straw) due to
metabolism) the pigment urochrome (from the
○ Uric acid (by-product of nucleotide destruction of hemoglobin) and solutes
metabolism) ● Sterile
○ Creatinine ● Slightly aromatic
● These substances needs to be removed ● Normal pH of around 6 (slightly more
because they will be converted to ammonia acidic)
which will increase pH, making it basic ● Specific gravity of 1.001 to 1.035
causing many cascading effects
● Excess water ● Solutes normally found in urine
● Any food containing high protein will ○ Sodium and potassium ions
increase urea or uric acid ○ Urea, uric acid, creatinine
○ Ammonia (the smell of urine due to
Secretion ammonia or uric acid changing to
● Reabsorption in reverse; materials move ammonia)
from the (blood to the filtrate) peritubular ○ Bicarbonate ions
capillaries into the proximal or distal
convoluted tubules ● Solutes NOT normally found in urine
● Hydrogen and potassium ions ○ Glucose
● Creatinine ○ Blood proteins
● Secretion is important for: ○ Red blood cells
● Getting rid of substances not already in ○ Hemoglobin
the filtrate ○ White blood cells (pus)
● Removing drugs and excess ions ○ Bile
● Maintaining acid-base balance of blood
● Materials left in the renal tubule move
toward the ureter

Formation of Urine

Ureters
● Small tubes that carry urine from each
kidney to the urinary 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 1. Excreting nitrogen-containing
● Smooth, collapsible, muscular sac wastes
● Temporarily store urine 2. Maintaining water balance of the
● Retroperitoneal, behind pubic symphysis blood
3. Maintaining electrolyte balance of
Urethra the blood
● Thin-walled tube that carries urine from 4. Ensuring proper blood pH
the bladder to the outside of the body by
peristalsis Maintaining Water Balance
● Release of urine is controlled by two ● Normal amount of water in the human
sphincters (internal & external) body
● Micturition - process by which urine is ○ Young adult females - 50% (F>fat,
expelled from the urinary bladder to F>muscles)
outside ○ Young adult males - 60%
○ Babies - 75% (low fat, low bone
mass)
○ Old age - 45%
● Water is necessary for many body functions
and levels must be maintained

Distribution of Body Fluid (Fluid Compartments)

● Water occupies three main fluid
compartments:
○ Intracellular fuid (ICF) - fluid inside
Urethra Gender Differences
cells; accounts for ⅔ of body fluid
● Length
○ Extracellular fluid (ECF) - fluid
○ Females - 3-4 cm (1.5 inches)
outside cells; includes blood plasma,
○ Males - 20 cm (8 inches)
interstitial fluid (IF), lymph, and
● Location
transcellular fluid
○ Females - along wall of the vagina,
○ Plasma (blood) is ECF, but accounts
opening anterior to vaginal opening
for 3L of total body water - links
○ Males - through the prostate and
external and internal environments;
penis
plasma is the most important

Micturition
● Voiding, or emptying of the urinary bladder
● Two sphincters control the release of urine
- internal and external urethral sphincter
● Bladder collects urine to 200 ml - 600 ml
● Stretch receptors transmit impulses to the
sacral region of the spinal cord & impulses
travel cack to the bladder via the
splanchnic nerves to cause bladder
contractions
● When contractions become stronger, urine
is forced past the involuntary internal
sphincter into the upper urethra
● Urge to void is felt
● The external sphincter is voluntarily
controlled, so micturition can usually be
delayed

Fluid, Electrolyte, & Acid-Base Balance

● Kidneys have four roles in maintaining
blood composition
 ● Dilute urine is produced if water intake is
excessive
● Less urine (concentrated) is produced if
large amounts of water are lost
● Likewise, proper concentrations of various
electrolytes must be present

Regulation of Water and Electrolyte Reabsorption

● Osmoreceptors
○ Sensitive (sensory) cells in the
hypothalamus
○ React to small changes in solute
blood composition by becoming
● Gases and nutrients are unidirectional
more active
○ When activated, the thirst center in
The Link Between Water and Salt
the hypothalamus is notified
● Solutes in the body include electrolytes like
○ A dry mouth due to decreased saliva
sodium, potassium, and calcium ions
also promotes the thirst mechanism
○ Changes in electrolyte balance
causes water to move from one
compartment to another (water
follows salt)
○ Alters blood volume and blood
pressure
○ Can impair the activity of cells
● Too much salt will go to the blood vessels,
water rushes in blood plasma and into the
blood cell, increases blood volume which
increases blood pressure

Maintaining Water Balance

● Sources for water intake
○ Ingested food and fluids
○ Water produced from metabolic
processes
● Regulation is primarily by hormones
○ Cellular metabolism (small amount)
1. ADH (antidiuretic hormone)
● Sources for water output
prevents excessive water loss in
○ Vaporization out of the lungs
urine (from hypothalamus then
○ Lost in perspiration
stored at pituitary)
○ Leaves the body in the feces
2. Aldosterone (adrenal glands)
○ Urine production (will vary
regulates sodium ion content of
w/kidney control)
extracellular fluid
a. Triggered by the
renin-angiotensin
mechanism
3. Renin-angiotensin mechanism
(renin produced by the kidneys)