Urinary Movement

Ureters ,Urinary Bladder and

Urethra
Ureters- the duct by which urine passes from kidney to the
bladder (small tubes)
Urinary Bladder- hollow, muscular container

- stores urine
- size depends on the amount of urine
present
*max amt of urine= 1000 mL urine
Urethra- the tube that carries urine from the bladder to the
outside of the body.

Trigone
The triangle shaped portion of the urinary bladder
between the opening of ureters and urethra

 As the volume of urinary bladder decreases, transitional epithelial cells

assume their columnar shape and form a greater number of cell layers
The walls of ureter and urinary bladder are composed of layers of smooth
muscle and connective tissue
Internal Urinary Sphincter- only in males
- Contracts to keep semen from entering the
urinary bladder during sexual intercourse
External Urinary Sphincter- both in males and females
-under voluntary control, which allows us to
control the flow of our urine
- composed of skeletal muscle

About urethra...
In males, the urethra extends to the end of the penis
(approx. 20cm)
In females, the urethra is much shorter (approx. 4cm)

Urinary Bladder

Urethra
Male urethra Female
Urethra

Ureters

Micturition Reflex
Activated by the stretch of urinary bladder wall
AS the pressure increases, it stimulates stretch receptors in the
wall of urinary bladder
Parasympathetic action potentials causes the urinary bladder
to contract
It is an automatic reflex but can be inhibited or stimulated
The high brain centers can prevent micturition by sending
action potentials to the spinal cord to decrease the intensity of
autonomic reflex that stimulates urinary bladder contractions.
Inhibiting micturition develops at 2-3 years

Micturition Reflex

Micturition Reflex
Filling
Of
The
Urinary bladder

Stimulation
Of stretch
receptors

Afferent
impulses
pass via
pelvic nerve

Sacral
Segments
Of
Spinal cord

Efferent
impulses
via pelvic nerve

Contraction
of detrusor
Muscle
&
Relaxation of
Internal
sphincter