URINARY SYSTEM AND FLUID BALANCE

COMPOSITION OF THE URINARY SYSTEM:

 KIDNEYS (2)
 URETERS (2)
 URINARY BLADDER (1)
 URETHRA (1)
URINE – contains excess water, ions, wastes & toxic substances
FUNCTIONS OF THE URINARY SYSTEM:
 Excretion: removes waste from blood (with skin, liver, lungs)
 Regulation of Blood Volume and Pressure: controls ECF volume
 Regulation of Concentration of Solutes in Blood – positively and negatively charged ions
 Regulation of Extracellular Fluid pH – Hydrogen ions
 Regulation of RBC Synthesis: erythropoietin (low BP)
 Vitamin D Synthesis: calcium

KIDNEYS

– bean-shaped; size of a tightly clenched fist

- Posterior abdominal wall, each side of vertebral column

 RETROPERITIONEAL – “behind peritoneum”
 RENAL – Latin for “kidney”
1. RENAL CAPSULE – surrounds each kidney
2. HILUM
- medial side of kidney
a. renal artery and nerves enter the kidney
b. renal vein, ureter and lymphatic vessels exit the kidney
3. RENAL SINUS – contains blood vessels; collecting urine & adipose tissue
DIVISIONS: (surrounds renal sinus)
a. CORTEX – outer;
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 b. MEDULLA – inner
4. RENAL PYRAMIDS – “cone-shaped”
a. Base - between the cortex and medulla
b. Tips – center of the kidney
5. CALYX – “funnel-shaped”; surrounds the tips of renal pyramids
6. RENAL PELVIS – joint of calyces; larger funnels
7. URETER – narrowing of the renal pelvis; small tubes, kidneys->urinary bladder

NEPHRON – functional unit of the kidney; 1.3M

PARTS:
a. RENAL CORPUSCLE
1. Bowman capsule – enlarged end of nephron
– form double-walled chamber

 CAVITY: opens to proximal convoluted tubule ( fluid:away)

 INNER LAYER: has podocytes ([Link], processes with gaps) w/c wrap
glomerulus
capillaries.
 OUTER LAYER: simple squamous epithelial cells

2. Glomerulus – tuft capillaries = ball of yarn

- within indentation of bowman capsule
 Glomerular capillaries – pores in walls

b. PROXIMAL COVOLUTED TUBULE

c. LOOP OF HENLE: (1 thick, 2 thin segments)
 Thin Segment of the Descending Limb – extends to renal sinus; hairpin turn,
 Thin & Thick Segments of the Ascending Limb - back to cortex
d. DISTAL CONVOLUTED TUBULE

Renal Corpuscle > Proximal Convoluted Tubule > Thin Segment of the Descending Limb > Thin Segment of the
Ascending Limb > Thick Segment of the Ascending Limb > Distal Convoluted Tubule > Collecting Duct >
Papillary Duct > Calyx

Renal artery -> (RENAL PYRAMIDS) Interlobar artery -> (CORTEX & MEDULLA) -> Arcuate artery -> (CORTEX)
Interlobular artery -> (GLOMERULAR) -> afferent arterioles -> Efferent arterioles -> Peritubular capillaries ->
Interlobular vein -> Arcuate vein -> renal vein -> Inferior Vena Cava
NEPHRONS – sorts substances: waste products, toxins, excess materials
 JUXTAMEDULLARY NEPHRONS (15%) – have loops of Henle deep to the medulla
 CORTICAL NEPHRONS (85%) – do not extend deep into the medulla
FILTRATION MEMBRANE – consists of glomerular capillaries, podocytes and of the basement membrane
FILTRATE – fluid that passes across the filtration membrane
RENAL ARTERIES – branch off the abdominal aorta and enter the kidneys
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INTERLOBAR ARTERIES – pass between the renal pyramids
ARCUATE ARTERIES – arch between the cortex and medulla
INTERLOBULAR ARTERIES – branch off the arcuate arteries; project to the cortex
AFFERENT ARTERIOLE – branch of interlobular arteries; extend to the glomerular capillaries
EFFERENT ARTERIOLE – from the glomerular capillaries to the peritubular capillaries
PERITUBULAR CAPILLARIES – surround the convoluted tubules and loop of Henle; deep into medulla
VASA RECTA – specialized portion of the peritubular capillaries
JUXTAGLOMERULAR APPARATUS – secrete renin and play an important role in blood pressure regulation
URINE FORMATION
3 MAJOR PROCESSES:
1. FILTRATION – movement of materials across the filtration membrane into the Bowman’s capsule
 FILTRATE – portion of the plasma entering the nephron

2. TUBULAR REABSORPTION – movement of substances from the filtrate across the nephron wall back
into the blood of the peritubular capillaries

3. TUBULAR SECRETION – active transport of solutes across the nephron wall into the filtrate
[x] Solutes move from HIGH TO LOW SOLUTE CONCENTRATION between the PCT and a blood vessel
[x] Water move from LOW TO HIGH SOLUTE CONCENTRATION between the PCT and a blood vessel
[x] Solutes - Descending Loop of Henle; water - blood vessel
[x] Solutes move to the Ascending Loop of Henle -> Blood vessels
[x] The Thin Segment of the Ascending Limb is not permeable to water
[x] Sodium is transported by active transport
[x] Potassium and Chlorine are transported by means of co-transport
[x] Solutes and water move to the blood vessel from the DCT

RENIN-ANGIOTENSIN-ALDOSTERONE MECHANISM (Stimulus: Excessive Potassium)

- release potassium and reabsorb sodium in the blood (to attract water)
- results to an increase in blood volume and pressure

ANTIDIURETIC HORMONE MECHANISM

- INCREASED ADH = DECREASED FLUID = DECREASED URINATION = highly concentrated urine
- DECREASED ADH = INCREASED URINATION

ATRIAL NATRIURETIC HORMONE (Stimulus: High BP and BV)

- decreases sodium absorption
- results to increase in urine volume and sodium excretion
- also results to a decrease in blood volume and pressure

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URETERS – small tubes that carry urine from the renal pelvis to the urinary bladder

URINARY BLADDER – hollow, muscular container that lies in the pelvic cavity; stores urine
 TRIGONE – triangle-shaped portion of the bladder
[x] INCREASED VOLUME OF THE BLADDER = columnar to flat = no. of cell layer decreases
[x] DECREASED VOLUME OF THE BLADDER = flat to columnar = no. of cell layer increases

URETERS & URINARY BLADDER:

 WALLS
- smooth muscles
- connective tissue
 JUNCTION:
 S.M of BLADDER WALL - INTERNAL URINARY SPHINCTER – contracts to keep semen
(males)
 SKELETAL MUSCLE of URETHRA - EXTERNAL URINARY SPHINCTER, voluntary

URETHRA – tube that carries urine from the urinary bladder to the outside of the body
[x] MALE URETHRA = 20 cm; FEMALE URETHRA = 4 cm

MICTURITION REFLEX – activated by the stretch of the urinary bladder wall

- parasympathetic action potentials cause the urinary bladder to contract
- reduced somatic motor action potentials cause the external urinary sphincter to relax
- higher brain centers control this reflex

BODY FLUID COMPARTMENTS

 Water and the ions dissolved in it are distributed in the intracellular and extracellular fluid compartments
 Approximately 2/3 of the total body water is found in within cells
 Approximately 1/3 of the total body water is found outside cells (interstitial fluid, blood plasma, lymph)

COMPOSITION OF THE FLUID IN THE BODY FLUID COMPARTMENTS

 Intracellular fluid contains more K+, Mg2+, PO43-, SO42- and protein than does extracellular fluid
 Extracellular fluid contains more Na+, Ca2+, Cl- and HCO3- than does intracellular fluid

EXCHANGE BETWEEN BODY FLUID COMPARTMENTS

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  Water moves continually between compartments in response to hydrostatic pressure differences
and osmotic differences between the compartments

REGULATION OF EXTRACELLULAR FLUID COMPOSITION

 The total amount of water and electrolytes in the body does not change unless the person is
growing, gaining weight or losing weight

1. THIRST REGULATION
- The sensation of thirst increases if extracellular fluid becomes more concentrated or if
blood pressure decreases
2. ION CONCENTRATION REGULATION
 SODIUM IONS are the dominant extracellular ions.
 ALDOSTERONE increases Na reabsorption from the filtrate
 ADH increases water reabsorption from the nephron
 ANH increases Na loss in the urine

 ALDOSTERONE increases K secretion in the urine

 INCREASE IN BLOOD POTASSIUM stimulate aldosterone secretion
 DECREASE IN BLOOD POTASSIUM inhibit aldosterone secretion

 PARATHYROID HORMONE increases Ca levels by causing bone resorption and increased Ca

uptake in the kidney
 PARATHYROID HORMONE increases Vitamin D synthesis
 CALCITONIN inhibits bone resorption and lowers blood Ca levels
 When PO43- and SO42- levels in the filtrate are low, nearly all PO43- and SO42- are reabsorbed
 When levels are high, excess is lost in the urine
REGULATION OF ACID-BASE BALANCE
1. BUFFERS
 Three principal classes of buffers in the body fluid resist changes in the pH
 PROTEINS, PHOSPHATE BUFFER SYSTEM and the BICARBONATE BUFFER SYSTEM

2. RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
 The respiratory system rapidly regulates pH
 An increased respiratory rate raises the pH because the rate of CO2 elimination is increased & vice
versa

3. KIDNEYS
 The kidneys excrete H+ in response to a decreasing blood pH
 They reabsorb H+ in response to an increasing blood pH
ACIDOSIS AND ALKALOSIS
 ACIDOSIS occurs when the pH of the blood falls below 7.35
 RESPIRATORY ACIDOSIS – the respiratory system is unable to eliminate adequate amounts of CO 2

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  METABOLIC ACIDOSIS – excess production of acidic substances (increased metabolism/decreased
ability of kidneys to eliminate H+ in the urine)
 ALKALOSIS occurs when the blood pH increases above 7.45
 RESPIRATORY ALKALOSIS – results from hyperventilation
 METABOLIC ALKALOSIS – results from rapid elimination of H+ from the body (severe vomiting/excessive
aldosterone secretion)
SIMPLE CUBOIDAL EPITHELIUM
 Proximal convoluted tubules COMPOSITION OF THE URINARY SYSTEM:
 Thick segments of loop of henle (ascending  KIDNEYS (2)
limb)  URETERS (2)
 Collecting ducts  URINARY BLADDER (1)
 URETHRA (1)
SIMPLE SQUAMOUS EPITHELIUM FUNCTIONS OF THE URINARY SYSTEM:
 Thin segments of Loop of Henle  Excretion
 H2O & solutes = diffusion  Regulation of Blood Volume and Pressure
TRANSITIONAL EPIHELIUM  Regulation of Concentration of Solutes in
Blood
Ureters
 Regulation of Extracellular Fluid pH
Urinary bladder
 Regulation of RBC Synthesis
 Vitamin D Synthesis
REGULATION OF ACID-BASE BALANCE
1. BUFFERS
KIDNEYS
2. RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
3. KIDNEYS 1. RENAL CAPSULE
2. HILUM
3. RENAL SINUS
ACIDOSIS & ALKALOSIS a. Cortex
b. Medulla
1. RESPIRATORY 4. RENAL PYRAMIDS
2. METABOLIC a. Tips
b. Base
5. CALYX
BODY FLUID COMPARTMENTS 6. RENAL PELVIS
1. Intracellular fluid compartment
2. Extracellular fluid compartment

NEPHRON
REGULATION OF EXTRACELLULAR FLUID
COMPOSITION 1. RENAL CORPUSCLE
a. Glomerulus capsule
1. Thirst regulation
b. Bowman capsule
2. Ion concentration regulation
2. PROXIMAL COVOLUTED TUBULE
3. LOOP OF HENLE
3 MAJOR PROCESSES OF URINE FORMATION 4. DISTAL CONVOLUTED TUBULE
1. FILTRATION
2. TUBULAR REABSORPTION
3. TUBULAR SECRETION

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