Urinary System
- Composed of the kidneys, ureters, urinary bladder, urethra, and associated structures.
The functions of the urinary system include maintaining extracellular fluid balance,
excreting wastes, and maintaining blood pH.
A. The Urinary Plan
- The left and right kidneys are located behind the peritoneum, along the posterior
abdominal wall.
Kidney features:
Renal fat pad- tissue that surrounds and protects each kidney
Renal capsule- the fibrous outer wall of the kidney
Hilum- an indentation on the medial side of each kidney where vessels and nerves enter
or exit.
Ureter- a muscular tube that exits each kidney at the hilum and extends posteriorly to
the pelvic cavity.
Urinary bladder- a collapsible, muscular sac for the temporary storage of urine. The two
ureters enter on each side of the posterior floor of the bladder.
Urethra- a muscular tube that extends from the anterior floor of the bladder to the
outside of the body. In the female, it is a short tube that ends just anterior to the vagina.
In the male, it is much longer, extending all the way through the penis. In the male, it
conducts semen as well as urine.
Urine is formed in each kidney and is conducted through the ureters to the bladder.
When the bladder is full and it is convenient, urinary sphincters that control flow
through the urethra relax and allow urine to exit the body.
Located within hilum
- Renal sinus: a fat-filled cavity
- Renal pelvis: a wide section of the urinary channel, distal to the ureter
- Calyces: branches of the pelvis extending from the kidney tissue proper
The kidney tissue proper is divided into an outer cortex and an inner medulla, as is
the tissue of many organs. Renal pyramids are cone-shaped sections of tissue lying
mostly within the medulla. Each appears as a triangle in a frontal section. Each is
composed of collecting ducts that conduct urine toward its tip (papilla), which is
surrounded by the end of a calyx.
Urine formed by the kidney is conducted through collecting ducts of the renal
pyramids to the calyces. The calyces fuse to form the large renal pyramid. As urine is
conducted out of the kidney through the hilum, the urinary channel narrows to form
the ureter.
Renal artery- branch of the abdominal aorta entering the hilum and extends through
the renal sinus.
Interlobar arteries- branches of the renal arteries that extend outward through the
tissue between the pyramids.
Arcuate arteries- branches of the interlobar arteries that turn to extend between
the cortex and medulla.
Interlobular arteries- branches of the accurate arteries that extend outward, into
the cortex.
Afferent arterioles- small arteries that arise from branches of interlobular arteries,
each one extending to glomerulus.
Glomerular capillaries- capillaries arising from an afferent arteriole and forming a
ball or small capillary bed called a glomerulus.
Venous Network of the kidney parallels the arterial network
Efferent arterioles- each extending from a glomerulus
Pertibular capillaries- small capillary beds arising from an efferent arteriole (a network
of peritubular capillaries surrounds each nephron, the tubular, microscopic unit of the
kidney.
Interlobular veins
Arcuate veins
Interlobar veins
Renal veins- blood vessels extending through the renal sinus and out the hilum, draining
into the inferior vena cava.