KMTC VICTORIA

DEPT OF MEDICAL
LABORATORY SCIENCES
HUMAN ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY
TOPIC:URINARY SYSTEM
AUDIENCE:MEDICAL LABORATORY SCIENCES
PREPARED BY: TOPHISTER ADOMA
DATE:29/03/2015
Objectives
By the end of the lesson,the learner should be able
to:
• Define the Urinary System
• Outline the functions of the urinary System
• Identify the major parts of the human urinary
system.
• Describe the kidney, including its gross internal
structure and the structure of the nephron.
• Discuss the Functions of the kidneys.
Cont'

• Describe the ureters, the urinary bladder and the

urethra and their functions
• Identify common signs and symptoms associated
with disorders of the urinary System
Definition
• The Urinary System is a group of organs in the body
concerned with filtering out excess fluid and other
substances from the bloodstream.
• The substances are filtered out from the body in
the form of urine.
• Urine is a liquid produced by the kidneys,collected
in the bladder and excreted through the urethra.
Functions of the Urinary System
• Excretion of waste products of metabolism
• Maintains an appropriate fluid volume by regulating
the amount of water that is excreted in the urine
• Regulating the concentrations of various
electrolytes in the body fluids and maintaining
normal pH of the blood.
Cont:
The Urinary organs include:
• kidneys
• ureters
• bladder
• urethra
The Kidney
Structure
• The kidneys are solid, bean-shaped organs located
below the ribs toward the middle of the back.
• They are 11 cm long, 6 cm wide, 3 cm thick and
weigh 150 g.
• The right kidney is usually slightly lower than the
left, probably because of the considerable space
occupied by the liver.
Cont'
• Longitudinal view of the Kidney is composed of the:
• An outer fibrous capsule, surrounding the kidney.
• The cortex, a reddish-brown layer of tissue
immediately below the capsule and outside the
pyramids.
• the medulla, the innermost layer, consisting of pale
conical-shaped striations, the renal pyramid
Cont'
• The hilum-concave medial border of the kidney
where the renal blood and lymph vessels,the ureter
and nerves enter.
• The renal pelvis is the funnel-shaped structure that
collects urine formed by the kidney
• Microscopically the kidney is composed of about 1-
2 millions of nephrons.
The Nephron
• Basic functional unit of the kidney
• Consists of a tubule closed at one end, the other
end opening into a collecting tubule.
• The closed end is indented to form the cup-shaped
glomerular capsule (Bowman’s capsule) which has
the glomerulus.
• Continuing from the glomerular capsule, the
remainder of the nephron is about 3 cm long and is
described in three parts:
Cont'
i. The proximal convoluted tubule
ii. The medullary loop (loop of Henle)
iii. The distal convoluted tubule, leading into a
collecting duct.
Functions of the kidney
1.Formation of urine-
• The kidneys form urine, which passes through the
ureters to the bladder for storage prior to
excretion.
• The composition of urine reflects exchange of
substances between the nephron and the blood in
the renal capillaries
Cont'
• There are three processes involved in urine
formation:
i. Filtration
ii. Selective Re-absorption
iii. Secretion

• Assignment: Discuss the process of Urine

Formation.
Summary of the Process
Composition of Urine
i. Water 96%
ii. Urea 2%

Characteristics
iii. Clear Amber
iv. Specific gravity of 1.02 to 1.03
v. pH of around 6 (4.5-8)
vi. A healthy adult daily urinary output is between
1000-1500mls.
Other functions
2.electrolytes balance-sodium, potassium,calcium
and renin angiotensin Aldosterone system.
3.Secretion of hormones-Renin and Aldosterone
Ureters
• The ureters are the tubes that carry urine from the
kidneys to the urinary bladder.
• They are about 25 to 30 cm long with a diameter of
about 3 mm.
• When urine accumulates and the pressure in the
bladder rises, the ureters are compressed and the
openings occluded. This prevents reflux of urine
into the ureters as the bladder fills.
Function
• The ureters propel urine from the kidneys into the
bladder by peristaltic contraction of the smooth
muscle layer.
Urinary bladder
• The bladder is roughly pear shaped, but becomes
more oval as it fills with urine. The posterior surface
is the base.
• The bladder opens into the urethra at its lowest
point, the neck.
• When the bladder is empty the inner lining is
arranged in folds, or rugae, which gradually
disappear as it fills.
Cont'
• The bladder is distensible but when it contains 300
to 400 ml, awareness of the need to pass urine is
felt.
• The total capacity is rarely more than about 600 ml.
• Sphincter Muscles control the outflow of urine from
the bladder
• Functions as a temporary storage of urine
Urethra
• The urethra is a canal extending from the neck of
the bladder to the exterior, at the external urethral
orifice.
• It is longer in the male than in the female.
• The urethral sphincter is a collective name for the
muscles used to control the flow of urine from the
urinary bladder.
• The function of the urethra is to remove urine from
the body.
Common S/S of disorders of the
urinary System
• Oliguria-Decreased urine output-less than
400mls/day
• Haematuria-Presence of blood in Urine
• Proteinuria-Presence of protein in urine
• Dysuria-Pain or burning sensation while passing
urine
• Glycosuria/Ketonuria-Presence of sugar/ketones in
Urine.Frequency
Cont'
• Incontinence-involuntary loss of Urine.
• Polyuria-passing unusually large amount of Urine.
• Frequency of micturation- requiringto pass small
amounts of urine frequently.
• Anuria-Absence of urine
References
• Ross and Wilson Anatomy and Physiology in health
and Illness
• Essentials of anatomy and physiology