MLSHUHIL

URINARY SYSTEM ● Excretion of metabolic wastes along the

excess water and electrolytes in urine.
TOPIC OUTLINE

● Urinary System
● Excretion of many bioactive substances.
● Kidneys
● Renin, protease that regulates blood
● Blood Circulation pressure by cleaving circulating
angiotensinogen to angiotensinogen 1.
● Renal Function
○ Renal Corpuscles & Blood Filtration
○ Loop of Henle ● Erythropoietin, glycoprotein growth
○ Collecting Ducts factor that stimulates erythrocyte
production when blood oxygen level is
● Ureters, Bladder, & Urethra
low.

● Histologic Features
● 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 / Calcitriol,
active form of the steroid prohormone
URINARY SYSTEM vitamin D.

The urinary system consists of the following

organs: kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra. Its
primary role is to ensure that blood is under
optimal properties.

The following are the general functions of the

kidney that involves a combination of renal
functions:

● Regulation of balance between inorganic

ions and acid-base balance.

JILLIAN CLARISSA A. QUINTOS NATIONAL UNIVERSITY - MALL OF ASIA

 MLSHUHIL

minor calyx that collects

● Facilitates gluconeogenesis during urine formed by tubules.
periods of fasting, making glucose from
amino acids to supplement the process in ● Nephrons, functional unit of the kidney
the liver. with about roughly 1.25 million function
units.
KIDNEYS
○ Renal Corpuscle, initial dilated
part enclosing a tuft of capillary
● Hilum, is where nerves enter, ureter loops and site of blood filtration.
exits, blood and lymph vessels enter and
exit.

● Renal Cortex, darker stained region with ○ Proximal Tubule, long

many round corpuscles. convoluted part located entirely in
the cortex.
● Renal Medulla, consists of aligned linear
tubules and ducts. ○ Loop of Henle, is also called the
nephron loop. It is a long U-
○ Renal Pyramid, conical shaped portion of the tubule that
structures with bases meeting at conducts urine within each
the cortex separated by renal nephron of the kidney consisting
columns. of the following:

■ Renal Lobe, parallel ducts ■ thin descending limb

and tubules extending from ■ thin ascending limb
the medulla into the cortex.
○ Distal Tubule, consists of a thick
■ Renal Papilla, tip of each straight part ascending from the
pyramid, projecting into a loop of Henle back into the cortex.

JILLIAN CLARISSA A. QUINTOS NATIONAL UNIVERSITY - MALL OF ASIA

 MLSHUHIL

○ Connecting Tubule, links

nephrons to collecting ducts ;
merges to form collecting tubules.

● Cortical Nephrons, located mostly in the

cortex while the Juxtamedullary
Nephrons, lie close to the medulla and
have longer loops of Henle.

BLOOD CIRCULATION

● Afferent Arterioles, divide to form a

RENAL FUNCTION
plexus of capillary loops called
glomerulus–located within the renal
● Filtration, by which water and solutes in
corpuscle.
the blood leave the vascular space and
enter the lumen of the nephron.

● Secretion, substance move from

● Efferent Arterioles, is how blood leaves
epithelial cells of the tubules into the
the glomerular capillaries which then
lumens.
branches out to form another capillary
network.
● Reabsorption, substances move from the
tubular lumen across the epithelium into
○ Vasa Recta, penetrates deep into
the interstitium and surrounding
the medulla in association with
capillaries.
the loops of Henle and collecting
ducts.
Along the length of the nephron tubule and
collecting system, the filtrate receives various
● Peritubular Capillaries, profusely
secreted molecules, while others are reabsorbed
distributed throughout the cortex.

JILLIAN CLARISSA A. QUINTOS NATIONAL UNIVERSITY - MALL OF ASIA

 MLSHUHIL

and then enters the minor calyces as urine and ○ Primary Processes, extends and
undergoes excretion. curve around a length of
glomerular capillary.
RENAL CORPUSCLES AND
BLOOD FILTRATION ■ Secondary Processes, also
called pedicels–covers
● Glomerular / Bowman Capsule, double- much of the capillary
walled epithelial capsule that surrounds surface, in direct contact
glomerular capillaries. with the basal lamina.

● Visceral Layer, closely envelops Filtration occurs through a structure with the
glomerular capillaries that are finely following components:
fenestrated.
● Fenestrations, blocks rbc and platelets.
● Parietal Layer, forms the surface of the
capsule. ● Thick, Combined Basal Laminae,
restricts large proteins & organic anions.
● Capsular / Urinary Space, receives fluid
filtered through the capillary wall and ● Filtration Slit Diaphragm, restrict small
visceral layer. proteins and organic anions.

● Vascular Pole, where afferent arteriole COLLECTING DUCTS

enters and the efferent arteriole leaves.
The connecting tubule carries the filtrate into
● Tubular Pole, where the proximal a collecting system that transports it to a minor
convoluted tubule begins. calyx where more water is reabsorbed if needed.

● Podocytes, unusual stellate epithelial ● Papillary Duct, delivers urine directly

cells which compose the apparatus for into the minor calyx.
renal filtration.

JILLIAN CLARISSA A. QUINTOS NATIONAL UNIVERSITY - MALL OF ASIA

 MLSHUHIL

● Principal Cells, pale staining, few binucleated–protecting underlying cells

organelles, sparse microvilli, and distinct against cytotoxic effects of hypertonic urine.
cell boundaries.
The thick muscularis of the ureters move urine
● Aquaporins, integral membrane pore toward the bladder via peristaltic contractions
proteins functioning as specific channels and produce prominent mucosal folds when the
for water molecules. lumen is empty

● Intercalated Cells, are darker, abundant The urethra is a tube that carries urine from the
in mitochondria and projecting apical bladder to the exterior. In men, two ducts for
folds. sperm transport during ejaculation join the
urethra and the prostate gland.
URETERS, BLADDER, & URETHRA
The male urethra is longer and consists of the
Ureters, transports urine ; Urinary Bladder, following segments:
stores urine and Urethra, empties the bladder
by micturition. ● Prostatic Urethra, extends through the
prostate gland and is lined by the
The mucosa of these organs are lined by urothelium.
transitional epithelium also known as the
urothelium. ● Membranous Urethra, short segmented
and passes through an external sphincter
● A single layer of small basal cells resting of striated muscle and is lined by stratified
on a very thin basement membrane. columnar and pseudostratified columnar
epithelium.
● An intermediate region with one to
several layers of cuboidal or low ● Spongy Urethra, enclosed within the
columnar cells. erectile tissue of the penis and it is lined
by stratified columnar and pseudostratified
● A superficial layer of large bulbous or columnar epithelium.
elliptical umbrella cells, sometimes

JILLIAN CLARISSA A. QUINTOS NATIONAL UNIVERSITY - MALL OF ASIA

 MLSHUHIL

various electrolytes.

It is simple cuboidal epithelium with no

microvilli but with many mitochondria.

Found in the medulla and medullary rays.

HISTOLOGIC FEATURES

Proximal Convoluted Tube, responsible for

the reabsorption of all organic nutrients,
proteins, water, and electrolytes ; secretion of Distal Convoluted Tubule, is responsible for
organic anions and cations. the reabsorption of electrolytes.

It is simple cuboidal epithelium, well It is simple cuboidal epithelium with short

stained, numerous mitochondria, prominent microvilli, basolateral folds, and more empty
basal folds, lateral interdigitations; long lumen.
microvilli, and occluded lumens.
Found in the cortex.
It is found in the cortex of renal tubules.

Collecting System - Principal Cells, is

Loop of Henle - Thin Limbs, is responsible responsible for the regulation of reabsorption
for the passive reabsorption of Na+ and Cl-. of water, electrolytes, and secretion of
potassium.
It is simple squamous epithelium with few
mitochondria. It is simple cuboidal to columnar epithelium
pale staining, most abundant, and with
Found in the medulla. distinct cell membranes.

Found in the medulla and medullary rays.

Loop of Henle - Thick Ascending Limbs, is
responsible for the active reabsorption of

JILLIAN CLARISSA A. QUINTOS NATIONAL UNIVERSITY - MALL OF ASIA

 MLSHUHIL

Collecting System - Intercalated Cells, is

responsible for the reabsorption of K and
helps maintain acid-base balance.

It is few and scattered ; slightly darker

staining.

Found in the medullary rays.

JILLIAN CLARISSA A. QUINTOS NATIONAL UNIVERSITY - MALL OF ASIA