y st e m

a r y s
U r i n
 Urinary system

• Urinary system (includes kidney, ureters, urinary

bladder and urethra)
 kidneys
• These are a pair of bean shaped organ
• Each kidney is about 11 cm in length, 6 cm in breadth and 3 cm in antero-
posterior dimension

Position
• Situated on posterior abdominal wall behind the peritoneum on each side of the
vertebral column
• Superiorly they are level with the upper border of the twelfth thoracic vertebra,
inferiorly with the third lumbar.
• The right is usually slightly inferior to the left, probably due to its relationship to
the liver.
 kidneys
Functions:
1. The kidneys excrete the final products of metabolic activities and excess water.
2. They also have endocrine functions producing and releasing
a) Erythropoietin which affects blood formation
b) Renin which influences blood pressure
c) 1,25-hydroxycholecalciferol, which is involved in the control of calcium metabolism

Coverings of Kidney:

1. Renal fascia: Binds to abdominal wall

2. Adipose capsule: Cushions kidney

3. Renal capsule: Encloses kidney

 External Anatomy of the Kidney

• Lateral surface- convex.

• Medial surface is concave.
– Renal Hilum:
• Indentation where blood vessels, nerves and ureters
enter and exit the kidneys.
– Renal Sinus :
• Internal cavity within kidney.
 Internal Anatomy of the Kidney

 Cortex - Superficial region of kidney.

 Medulla - Deep central region of the kidney.
 Renal pyramids- Cone shaped structure within the renal medulla.
 Renal column- Extensions of cortex that separate renal pyramids
 Renal Pelvis:
• Flat funnel-shaped expansion of ureter
• Major Calices:
Large cup-shaped branches of renal pelvis
• Minor Calices:
Cup-shaped divisions of major calices
 Renal Lobe Consists of:
– One renal pyramid
– overlying area of renal cortex
– adjacent tissues of renal columns
 Nephron
• Functional unit of the kidney

• Function :
1. Filtration
2. Tubular reabsorption
3. Tubular secretion

•Parts :
1.Renal corpuscle:
1. Glomerulus – capillaries
2. Bowman’s capsule
2. Proximal convoluted tubule
3. Loop of Henle
4. Distal convoluted tubule and Collecting duct
KIDNEY
KIDNEY
 Ureters
• The ureters are muscular tubes that
transport urine from the kidneys to the
bladder.

• The renal pelvis is continuous with the

ureter at the ureteropelvic junction

• At the pelvic brim, the ureters cross iliac

arteries, enter the pelvic cavity, and open
into the urinary bladder.

• At three points along their course the

ureters are constricted :

1. At the ureteropelvic junction

2. Where the ureters cross the common
iliac vessels at the pelvic brim;
3. Where the ureters enter the wall of the
 URETERS
• Ureters transport urine from kidneys
to the bladder.

• The mucosa:
1. Epithelium: Transitional epithelium
or urothelium
2. Lamina propria: Transitional epithelium

(fibroelastic connective tissue).

• Muscularis : interwoven smooth

muscle layers.

• Adventitia .
 Urinary bladder
• It is a muscular sac that stores and expels urine
• Location
– Pelvic floor
– Posterior to pubic symphysis
– Anterior to:
• Rectum in males
• Vagina & uterus in females
 Urinary bladder
• It has a fundus (base), neck, apex, a superior and two inferolateral surfaces.

• It varies in size, shape, position and relations, according to its content and the state of
neighbouring viscera.

• When empty, it is entirely in the lesser pelvis (shape is tetrahedral)

• When it distends it expands into the abdominal cavity .

 Urinary bladder

• The Trigone of urinary bladder has three

openings;
1. Two openings from the ureters
2. One opening to the urethra

• Prostate gland: Found in In males lies

directly inferior to the bladder and
surrounds the urethra.

• Capacity:
1. Mean vesical capacity 120-320 ml
2. Micturition 280 ml
3. Painful urgent micturition 500 ml
 URINARY BLADDER

• The histological picture shows:

1. Mucosa:
Transitional epithelium (urothelium) and lamina
propria.
2. Submucosa :
Dense irregular connective tissue.
3. The muscularis:
Detrusor muscle
URINARY BLADDER
 urethra
• The urethra begins at the base of the bladder and ends with an external
opening in the perineum.
• It conveys urine from the urinary bladder to the exterior.
• The paths taken by the urethra differ significantly in women and men.
 urethra
• In women, the urethra is short, being about 4 cm long.

• The urethral opening is anterior to the vaginal opening in the vestibule.

• In men, the urethra is long, about 20 cm, and bends twice along its course.
1. Prostatic urethra
• Passes through the prostate gland
2. Membranous urethra
• Through the urogenital diaphragm
3. Spongy (penile) urethra
• Passes through the length of the penis

• Urethral Sphincter
1. Internal urethral sphincter
Involuntary smooth muscle
2. External urethral sphincter
Voluntarily inhibits urination
 a n k
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