Urinary System

Objectives
1. Identify organs belonging to the
urinary system

2. Describe the gross and microscopic

structures of the kidney

3. Describe the structure and function of

the nephron in urine formation
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 Urinary System
Objectives
4. Identify the pattern of blood supply and
urine output from the kidneys

5. Describe the function, histology, location

and structure of the ureters, urinary bladder
and urethra

5. Define and use the correct terminology

associated with the urinary system

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Urinary System

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 Urinary System
Kidneys
Ureters
Urinary Bladder
Urethra

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 Kidneys
Paired
11 cm x 6 cm x 2.5 cm
Retroperitoneal
Between T12 and L3, left kidney higher
than the right

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 Kidneys
Held in place by two layers of fascia
Perirenal fat
Renal capsule - fibrous CT
Indented region = hilus where vessels
enter and exit medially

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Kidney Regions

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 Kidney Regions
Cortex - outer, reddish
Two layers
cortical layer
Juxtamedullary

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 Kidney Regions
Medulla inner
Contains renal pyramids
Apex of renal pyramid = renal papillae
Pyramids separated by renal columns
interlobar vessels within the columns

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Renal Pyramids

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 Kidney Regions
Minor and major calyces = funnel
shaped spaces for urine collection
Drain via renal pelvis into ureters

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Blood Supply

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 Kidney Blood Supply
Arterial - nutrient, O2 and waste product
rich
Aorta
Renal artery
Interlobar artery
Arcuate artery
Interlobular artery

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 Kidney Blood Supply
Venous - O2, nutrient poor,
nitrogenous waste eliminated
Interlobular veins
Arcuate veins
Interlobar veins
Renal veins
Vena cava

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 Kidney Blood Supply

Microscopic blood supply

Afferent arteriole
Glomerulus
Efferent arteriole
Capillary
Peritubular capillaries

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Microcirculation

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Microcirculation

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 Nephron
Nephrons - microscopic units
responsible for urine formation
1-3 million per kidney

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 Nephron
Two kinds of nephrons (location)
Cortical (80%)- renal corpuscle and
majority of loop of Henle in cortex
Juxtamedullary (20%) - renal
corpuscle near junction of cortex -
medulla, long loop of Henle
penetrates well into medulla

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 Nephron
Consist of two kinds of tubular
components
Vascular
Tubular

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 Vascular Nephron
Containing blood
Afferent arteriole
Glomerulus
Efferent arteriole
( )
.

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 Tubular Nephron
Containing urine components
Bowmans capsule
double layered epithelium, visceral &
parietal
visceral layer formed by podocytes,
perforated to allow filtration of plasma

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 Tubular Nephron
Proximal convoluted tubule PCT
Loop of Henle
descending limb - Thin loop
ascending limb - Thick loop
distal convoluted tubule DCT
Collecting tubule

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 Renal Corpuscle
Together glomerulus + Bowmans
capsule = renal corpuscle

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Glomerulus

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Podocyte

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Filtration Mechanism

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 Filtration
Movement of plasma from glomerulus
into Bowmans capsule, primarily a
function of hydrostatic pressure on
blood within glomerulus and leaky
condition of visceral Bowmans capsule.
Product of this process is a dilute
glomerular filtrate, similar to plasma
without proteins or formed elements.
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 Secretion

Movement from capillaries into tubule

via active transport of materials not
filtered or added to filtrate.
Secreted products include H+,
nitrogenous waste, some drugs, etc.

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 Reabsorption
Movement from tubules into
capillaries or vasa recta.
99% of H2O filtered is reabsorbed.
Other products reabsorbed include
amino acids, glucose, ions, water
soluble vitamins.

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 Reabsorption
~180 liters glomerular filtrate produces
per day, 1-2 liters actually becomes
urine.
ADH stimulates H20 reabsorption,
primarily at DCT.
Aldosterone stimulates reabsorption of
Na+ and indirectly, H20 at the DCT.

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 Counter-current
Exchange
Method by which ions are secreted
and reabsorbed to allow for
concentration of glomerular filtrate

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 Counter-current
Exchange
Tubes are leaky
Tubes pass close together

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 Counter-current
Exchange
Flow in opposite directions
Ions secreted on one side are
reabsorbed on the other
Provides surface area, time for H20
reabsorption without loss of
essential ions (Na+)

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 Ureters
Exit kidney at renal hilus
Retroperitoneal
25-30 cm

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 Ureters
Transport urine from kidney to bladder via
peristalsis, gravity, hydrostatic pressure
3 layers (deep to superficial)
Tunica mucosa
Transitional epithelium
Lamina propria
Tunica muscularis
Longitudinal and circular smooth muscle
Tunica adventitia
Fibrous CT, continuous with renal capsule

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Kidney Stones

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 Urinary Bladder
Functions as urine storage site
Variable size and shape dependent on
condition
Posterior to symphysis pubis, anterior to
rectum

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 Urinary Bladder
Held in place by ligaments and
peritoneum
Lateral umbilical ligaments (remnants of
hypogastric arteries of fetus)
Middle umbilical ligament

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 Urinary Bladder
Three openings for inferior triangular
region = trigone
2 ureters
1 urethra

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 Urinary Bladder
Three layers (deep to superficial)
Tunica mucosa
Transitional epithelium
Submucosa
Tunica muscularis
Smooth muscle
Tunica Adventitia/serosa
Peritoneum only on superior aspect
Lower 2/3 CT only, attaching bladder to surrounding
structures

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 Micturition
Reflex mechanism to allow elimination
of urine involves:
Internal sphincter - smooth muscle,
involuntary
External sphincter - skeletal muscle,
voluntary

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 Urethra
Male and female differ in structure and
function
Female
For elimination of urine only
4-5 cm

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 Female Urethra
Anterior to vagina
Lined with transitional epithelium
proximally, becoming squamous distally
Smooth muscle
Opens at external urethral meatus

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Female Urethra

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 Male Urethra
Carries urine and semen (not simultaneously)
~20 cm
Three portions (proximal to distal)
Prostatic ~3 cm, surrounded by prostate
Membranous ~2cm, receives bulbourethral gland
secretions
Cavernous/penile ~15 cm, surrounded by corpus
spongiosum

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 Male
Urethra

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