Chapter 17

Urinary System
1. Components
---kidney : produce urine
---ureters
---bladder -cavity organs, conduct, store and
---urethra remove the urine
---functions:
remove waste products of metabolism
regulate the homeostasis
secrete some bioactive factors- renin,
erythropoietin
*cavity organs:
mucosa:
/epi-transitional epi
/lamina propria
muscularis: SM
adventitia: CT
 2. Kidney
---bean-shaped, 10-12cm
in length, 5-6cm in
width, 3-4cm in
thickness
---hilum: BV, LV, N and
ureters enter or out
*renal pelvis: funnel-
shaped expension of
upper end of ureter
*calyx: branches of renal
pelvis
 1) General structure:
---capsule: DCT
---cortex: dark stained
/medullary ray
/cortical labyrinth
---medulla: slight stained
/renal pyramid
/renal columns
/renal papillae:
-minor calyx
-major calyx
-pelvis
*renal lobe: one renal pyramid and its
bounding cortical tissue
*renal lobule: renal tissue including one
medullary ray and cortical tissue
surround it
 According to function,
renal parenchyma is
mainly consists of
uriniferous tubules
---parenchyma:
/uriniferous tubules=
renal tubule+ collecting
tubules
/renal corpuscle
=glomerulus + renal
capsule(beginning part
of renal tubule)
/nephron=renal
corpuscle + renal tubule
---interstitium: CT, BV, N
 2) Nephron: structural and functional unit, 1,000,000
---renal corpuscle: cortical and juxtamedullary
nephron
/renal glomerulus:
/renal capsule
---renal tubule:
/proximal tubule:
-convoluted portion
-straight portion
/thin segment
/distal tubule:
-straight portion
-convoluted portion
 ① renal corpuscle: spherical, 200um in D,
two poles: vascular pole and urinary pole
---glomerulus: afferent arterioles→capillary
network →efferent arterioles
*capillary network:
/endothelial cell: pore, 70-90 nm, no
diaphragm
/basal lamina: 330nm
*intraglomerular mesangium:
/mesangial cell:
-small, irregular, with processes
-small dark N
-EM: RER, Golgi, lysosome, phagocytic vesicles,
cytoskeleton-MF, MT,IF and secretory granules
-functions:
i. produce ground substance
ii. phagocytosis
iii. contract
iv. secrete renin and enzymes
/matrix:
-type IV collagen
-glycoprotein: sulphate chondritin, heparin and
dermatan
---renal capsule: two layers capsule –formed
by beginning part of renal tubule which is
enlarged and invaginated
/parietal layer: simple squamous epi.
/visceral layer: podocytes
/renel capsular cavity: the space between
two layers
*podocyte:
cells with many processes
( primary and secondary processes-foot
processes)
Foot processes: interdigitated with each other
and embraced the capillaries,
slit pore:
-narrow intercellular space between foot
processes
-25 nm, with 4-6 nm diaphragm-slit
membrane
---function: produce filtrate by filtration
* filtration barrier or membrane: the structure
for filtration is called filtration barrier or
membrane, including:
fenestrated endothelial cell: negative ions
basal lamina: type IV collagen, proteoglycan,
laminin-negative ions (sulphate heparin)
slit membrane-nephrin(size selective filter:
negative ions
 ② renal tubule:
a. proximal tubule: 50-60um in D, 14 mm long
---structure
LM: EM:
pyramidal cuboidal
eosinophilic
round N
brush-liked border - microvilli(apical canaliculi)
longitudinal striation- plasma membrane infolding
no clear boundary - lateral extension
(rich in Na+ K+ ATPase)
Proximal tubule
---Function:
i. reabsorption :
-85% Na+ ions and water
-All of glucose, aminoacid, polypeptide,
proteins and vitamin
-50% bicorbonated salt and sulphate salt
ii. secrete H+, NH3, hippuric acid and creatinine
b. thin segment:
/10-15 um, simple squamous epi,
/facilitate the passage of water and ions
/reabsorb Na+ and Cl- and 5% water
 c. distal tubule:
---structure:
LM: EM:
cuboidal
slight-stained
round N
no brush-liked border – less microvilli
well-developed
longitudinal striation – plasma membrane infolding
Distal tubule Plasma membrane infolding
---function:
i. reabsorption of 8% water, Na+ ions
ii. excretion of K+, H+,NH3
iii. regulated by aldosterone(adrenal
gland) and antidiuretic hormone
(vasopressin) (pituitary gland)
3) collecting tubule:
arched collecting tubules
cortical collection tubules
medullary collection tubules
-simple cuboidal epi. to simple columnar epi.
-slight –stained
-have clear boundary
-reabsorb 4% water
4) juxtaglomerular complex

极周细胞
 a. juxtaglomerular cell:
---a groups of modified SM cell of afferent arterioles
---structure:
-larger, cuboidal in shaped, with round N
-contain secretory granules
---function:
i.secrete renin→adrenal gland→aldosterone→blood pressure↑
↑
angiotensinogen→angiotensin I→angiotensin II→contraction of
SM of BV
ii. secrete erythropoietin to promote erythropoiesis
b. macula densa
---a group of cells derived from epi. of distal
tubule
---cell becomes taller, narrow, with round N
apical part arranged
---cells have processes connecting with other
cells
---function: chemoreceptors- feel the Na+ ions
concentration
c. extraglomerular mesangial cell(polar
cushion cell)
---similar to intraglomerular mesangial cell
---transfer the information
d. peripolar cell
---structure:
EM: -microvilli
-junctional complexes
-RER, Golgi, and granules
---function: regulate the reabsorption and
secretion of renal tubule
 5) renal interstitial: CT
---fibers: type I,III,IV collagen
---matrix
---cell:
fibroblast
macrophage
lipid-laden interstitial cell:
-stellate cell with processes
-osmiophilic lipid droplets:
-function:
i. involve in formation of F and matrix
ii. secret prostaglandin
6) Blood supply to the
kidney
i. Very large blood flow
(1.2L/min)
ii. To form cap.two times
iii. Glomerular cap. have
a high blood
pressure
iv. Form vasa recta loop
near medullary loop
v. More larger blood flow
in renal cortex
Interlobar arteries → Arcuate arteries →Interlobular arteries →Capsular cap.
↑ ↓ ↓
Renal artery Afferent arterioles Afferent arterioles
↓ ↓
Juxtamedullary nephron Cortical nephron
glomerulus glomerulus
↓ ↓
Efferent arterioles Efferent arterioles
↓ ↓
Vasa recta(artery and vein)← Capillary network Capillary network
↓ ↓ ↓
Renal vein←Interlobar vein← Arcuate vein ← Interlobular vein ← Stellate vein