Urinary system

Urinary system:
The urinary system is the main excretory system of the body,which
expel the waste and excess material from the body.

Explanation:
The urinary system works as your body`s filtration system.when your urinary
system removes toxins and wastes from your body,it comes out as pee(urine). To
be able to pee,your body must pass this waste through a sereis of organs,ducts
and tubes.If there`s problem at any step in this process,it can effect if you are
able to pee normally.

Main organs:
The main organs in urinary system are;

• Two kidneys (blood filtering organs)

• Two ureters (ducts that connect your kidneys to your bladder)

• A bladder (An organ that holds your pee)

• A urethra (A tube connected to your bladder that allows pee to

leave your body).

Functions of the urinary system:

• Kidneys regulate blood volume and cmposition ;help regulate
blood pressure,PH,and glucose levels;produce two harmones
 (calcitriol and erythropoietin);and excrete waste in urine.

• Ureters transport urine from kidneys to urinary bladder.

• Urinary bladder stores urine and expels it into urethra.

• Urethra discharge urine from the body.

Anatomy of the kidneys:

The external and internal gross anatomical features of the kidneys are
given below;

External Anatomy of The Kidneys:

Location:
Kidneys are located just above the waist between the peritoneum and
the posterior wall of the abdomen.because their position is posterior
to the peritoneum of the abdominal cavity,the organs are said to be
retroperitoneal.the kidneys are located between the levels of the
last thoracic and third lumber vertebrae.the right kidney is slightly
lower than the left because the liver occupy considerable space on the
right side superior to the kidney.
Size:
A typical adult kidney is 10-12cm long,5-7cm wide,and 3cm thick
about the size of a bar of bath soap.

Mass:
It has a mass of 135-150g

Shape:
Kidneys are bean shaped and reddish in colour.

Layers of tissue surrounding the kidney:

Three layers of tissue sorrounding the each kidney;

1. Renal capsule:
Renel capsule is the deep layer,smooth,transparent sheet of dense
irregular connective tissue that is continuous with the outer coat of
the ureter.It serves as a barrier against trauma and helps maintain the
shape of the kidney.

2. Adipose capsule:
Adipose capsule is a mass of fatty tissue sorrunding the renal
capsule.It also protects the kidney from the trauma and holds it firmly
in place with in the blood cavity.

3.Renel Fascia:
The superficial layer is an other thin layer of dense irregular
connective tissue that anchors the kidneyto the sorrundind structures
and to the abdominal wall. On the antrioer surface of the kidneys, the
renal fascia is deep to the peritoneum.

Internal Anatomy Of the Kidneys:

A frontal section through the kidney reveals two distinct regions:a

superficial,light red region called the renal cortex.And a deep,dark
reddish-brown inner region called the renal medulla.The renal
medulla consists of several cone-shaped renal pyramids.

The base of each pyramid faces the renal cortex,and its apex called
renal papilla,points toward the renal helium.

the renal cortex is smooth-textured area extended from the renal

capsule to the bases of the renal pyramids and into the spaces
between them.It is divided into an outer cortical zone and an inner
juxtamedullary zone.Those portion of the renal cortex that extend
between renal pyramids are called renal columns.

togather,the renal cortex and renal pyramids of the renal medulla

constitute the parenchyma or functional portion of the kidney.with
in the parenchyma are the functional units of the kidney about 1
million microscopic structures called nephron.Filtrate formed by the
nephrons drains into the large papillary ducts which extended
through the renal papillae of the pyramids.The papillary ducts drain
into cup like structure called minor and major cycles.Each kidney
has 8 to 18 minor cycles and 2 or 3 major cycles.A minor calyx receives
filtrate from the papillary ducts of one renal papilla and delivers it to a
major calyx. once the filtrate enters the calyces it becomes urine
because no further reabsorption can occur. The reason for this is that
the simple epithelium of the nephron and ducts becomes transitional
epithelium in the calyces.From the major calyces,urine drains into a
single large cavity called the renal pelvis and then out through the
ureter to the urinary bladder.The helium expands into a cavity with in
the kidney called the renal sinus. which contains part of the renal
pelvis,the calyces,and the branches of the renal blood vessels and
nerves.Adipose tissue helps stabilize the position of these structures
in the renal sinus.

Blood supply of the kidneys:

The kidneys remove waste from the blood and regulate its volume and
ionic composition,its not surprising that they are abundantly supplied
with blood vessels.Although the kidneys consititute less than 0.5% of
total body mass, they receive 20-25% of the resting cardiac output via
right and left renal arteries. Kidneys are essential part of filtering
blood.here's how the urinary system works:

1.Blood enters each kidney through lots of little arteries.

2. Kidneys filter blood,separating toxins from nutrients.

3.Vitamins,minerals,nutriens and protien return back to blood stream.

4.Waste products and pee move from kidneys through ureters and to
bladder

5.Bladder stores pee until you use the toilet.

6.Pee leaves your body through urethra.

Renal artery → Segmental arteries → Interlober arteries → Arcuate

arteries → Cortical radiate arteries → Afferent arteriols → Glomerular
capillaries → Efferent arteriols → Peritubular capillaries → Peritubular
venules → Cortical radiate veins → Arcuate veins → Interlober veins
→ Renal veins
Path Of Blood Flow

Nephron:
Nephrons are the structural and functional units of the kidneys.

• Nephron: Each kidney contains over a million tiny structures

called nephrons, and they are responsible for forming urine.

• Glomerulus: One of the main structures of a nephron, a

glomerulus is a knot of capillaries.

• Renal tubule: Another one of the main structures in a nephron

is the renal tubule.

• Bowman’s capsule: The closed end of the renal tubule is

enlarged and cup-shaped and completely surrounds the
glomerulus, and it is called the glomerular or Bowman’s capsule.

• Podocytes: The inner layer of the capsule is made up of highly

modified octopus-like cells called podocytes.

• Foot processes: Podocytes have long branching processes

called foot processes that intertwine with one another and cling
to the glomerulus.
• Collecting duct: As the tubule extends from the glomerular
capsule, it coils and twists before forming a hairpin loop and
then again becomes coiled and twisted before entering a
collecting tubule called the collecting duct, which receives urine
from many nephrons.

• Proximal convoluted tubule: This is the part of the tubule

that is near to the glomerular capsule.

• Loop of Henle: The loop of Henle is the hairpin loop following

the proximal convoluted tubule.

• Distal convoluted tubule: After the loop of Henle, the tubule

continues to coil and twist before the collecting duct, and this
part is called the distal convoluted tubule.

• Cortical nephrons: Most nephrons are called cortical nephrons

because they are located almost entirely within the cortex.

• Juxtamedullary nephrons: In a few cases, the nephrons are

called juxtamedullary nephrons because they are situated next
to the cortex-medullary junction, and their loops of Henle dip
deep into the medulla.

• Afferent arteriole: The afferent arteriole, which arises from a

cortical radiate artery, is the “feeder vessel”.

• Efferent arteriole: The efferent arteriole receives blood that

has passed through the glomerulus.

• Peritubular capillaries: They arise from the efferent arteriole

that drains the glomerulus.
Ureters:
The ureters do play an active role in urine transport.

• Size: The ureters are two slender tubes each 25 to 30 cm (10 to

12 inches) long and 6 mm (1/4 inch) in diameter.
 • Location: Each ureter runs behind the peritoneum from the
renal hilum to the posterior aspect of the bladder, which it
enters at a slight angle.

• Function: Essentially, the ureters are passageways that carry

urine from the kidneys to the bladder through contraction of the
smooth muscle layers in their walls that propel urine into the
bladder by peristalsis and is prevented from flowing back by
small valve-like folds of bladder mucosa that flap over the ureter
openings.

Urinary Bladder:
The urinary bladder is a smooth, collapsible, muscular sac that stores
urine temporarily.

• Location: It is located retroperitoneally in the pelvis just

posterior to the symphysis pubis.

• Function: The detrusor muscles and the transitional epithelium

both make the bladder uniquely suited for its function of urine
storage.

• Trigone: The smooth triangular region of the bladder base

outlined by these three openings is called the trigone, where
infections tend to persist.

• Detrusor muscles: The bladder wall contains three layers of

smooth muscle, collectively called the detrusor muscle, and its
mucosa is a special type of epithelium, transitional epithelium.
Urethra:
• The urethra is a thin-walled tube that carries urine by peristalsis
from the bladder to the outside of the body.

• Internal urethral sphincter: At the bladder-urethral junction,

a thickening of the smooth muscle forms the internal urethral
sphincter, an involuntary sphincter that keeps the urethra closed
when the urine is not being passed.

• External urethral sphincter: A second sphincter, the external

urethral sphincter, is fashioned by skeletal muscle as the urethra
passes through the pelvic floor and is voluntarily controlled.

• Female urethra: The female urethra is about 3 to 4 cm (1 1/2

inches) long, and its external orifice, or opening, lies anteriorly
to the vaginal opening.

• Male urethra: the urethra is approximately 20 cm (8 inches)

long and has three named regions: the prostatic, membranous,
and spongy (penile) urethrae; it opens at the tip of the penis
after traveling down its length.
Urine Formation:
Urine formation is the result of three process:
• Glomerular filtration: Water and solutes smaller than proteins
are forced through the capillary walls and pores of the
glomerular capsule into the renal tubule.
• Tubular reabsorption: Water, glucose, amino acids, and
needed ions are transported out of the filtrate into the tubule
cells and then enter the capillary blood.
• Tubular secretion: Hydrogen, potassium, creatinine, and drugs
are removed from the peritubular blood and secreted by the
tubule cells into the filtrate.
Characteristics Of Urine:
• In 24 hours, the marvelously complex kidneys filter some 150 to
180 liters of blood plasma through their glomeruli into the
tubules.
• Daily volume. In 24 hours, only about 1.0 to 1.8 liters of urine are
produced.
• Components. Urine contains nitrogenous wastes and unneeded
substances.
• Color. Freshly voided urine is generally clear and pale to deep
yellow.
• Odor. When formed, urine is sterile and slightly aromatic, but if
 allowed to stand, it takes on an ammonia odor caused by the
action of bacteria on the urine solutes.
• pH. Urine pH is usually slightly acidic (around 6), but changes in
body metabolism and certain foods may cause it to be much
more acidic or basic.
• Specific gravity. Whereas the specific gravity of pure water is 1.0,
the specific gravity of urine usually ranges from 1.001 to 1.035.
• Solutes. Solutes normally found in urine include sodium and
potassium ions, urea, uric acid, creatinine, ammonia,
bicarbonate ions, and various other ions.

Micturition:
Micturition or voiding is the act of emptying the bladder.

Accumulation. Ordinarily, the bladder continues to collect urine until

about 200 ml have accumulated.
Activation. At about this point, stretching of the bladder wall activates
stretch receptors.
Transmission. Impulses transmitted to the sacral region of the spinal
cord and then back to the bladder via the pelvic splanchnic nerves
cause the bladder to go into reflex contractions.
Passage. As the contractions become stronger, stored urine is forced
past the internal urethral sphincter into the upper part of the urethra.
External sphincter. Because the lower external sphincter is skeletal
muscle and voluntarily controlled, we can choose to keep it closed or
it can be relaxed so that urine is flushed from the body.

Reference:
Principles Of Anatomy And Physiology by Gerard J.Tortora.Bryan
Derrickson
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