Overview of the Urinary System
Uploaded by
odacapoeiraukOverview of the Urinary System
Uploaded by
odacapoeiraukThe Urinary System
DR LOUISE TURNER
Objectives
o Understand anatomy of the kidney
o Describe functions of the urinary system
o Urine formation
The Urinary System
Urinary System:
1. Kidney
2. Ureter
3. Urinary Bladder
4. Urethra
Major Functions:
1. Excretion
2. Elimination
3. Regulation (homeostasis)
Urinary system
Vein (renal) Artery (renal) •Kidneys: Filtration
Kidney
•Ureters: Transport
•Urinary Bladder: Storage
Ureter
•Urethra: Transport
Bladder
Urethra
Organs of the Urinary System
Kidneys
External Layers: Renal cortex
•Renal Facia
•Adipose Tissue Renal capsule
•Renal Capsule
Renal medulla
Internal Structures:
Three distinct regions
•Renal Cortex
•Renal Medula Renal pelvis
•Renal Pelvis
Glomerulus Bowman’s
Distal CT
Nephron
Functional units of the kidney
Usually spans the cortex and medulla Collecting
◦ Cortical and juxtamedullary duct
# per kidney? ~1 million!
1. Filtration
2. Reabsorption Loop of Henle
3. Secretion
Arterial blood contains nutrients
(amino acids, glucose, O2 etc) and waste products
(sodium, creatinine etc). Want to keep all nutrients!
Glomerulus
Other nutrients
oIn the cortex. ’Ball of yarn’
oCapillaries are lined with
↑ diameter = endothelial cells
↑ filtration
oSo membranes are porous /
fenestrated
↓ diameter =
↓ filtration Bowman’s
oFiltration rate influenced by
capsule diameter of arterioles
Filtration
Works like a sieve
Movement due to hydrostatic
pressure
Moves from side of greater
pressure to lower pressure
Filtration of nutrients through
gaps in blood capillary walls into
tissue fluids
Glomerulus = filtration
Proximal convoluted tubule
o~65% of substances that were
filtered are reabsorbed
oSo surface area / space is important
oReabsorption into peritubular
capillary network – transport across
membrane
oDrugs and poisons [e.g. morphine,
penicillin, aspirin] enter the PCT (not
filtered)
Loop of Henle
Across cortex and
medulla
Continues
reabsorption
Distal convoluted tubule & collecting duct
Creatinine = by
product of
muscle
metabolism
A useful
indicator of
renal health
URINE
Urea
‘recycling’
Renal pelvis and ureter
Peritubular
Venules/renal vein capillary network
Urination
Bladder stores urine. Valves to prevent back flow
Kidney Ureter ‘jets’
Urothelium (transitional epithelium) – can
contract / expand
Signals to afferent nerve endings, up spinal
Ureter cord… ‘you need to pee!’
Urethra different for males and females
Internal urethral sphincter
Bladder Involuntary
External urethral sphincter
Urethra Voluntary
↑ risk of infection
Sketch an outline of the
nephron
Putting it together…
Functions of the urinary system
Homeostasis
o Water/blood volume
o Blood pH
o Blood pressure
o Osmolarity
Clearing waste products from metabolic processes
◦ respiratory system = CO2
◦ digestive system = faeces
◦ urinary system = urine
Can hold ~20% of blood supply
1.2 L/min
Urine
Characteristics:
o ~95% water and ~5% solutes (incl. creatinine, urea, uric acid)
o pH ~6 Excrete ~1.4 [Link]-1 (6-8 urinations)
o Sometimes smelly (mercaptan)
o Colour: clear – dark (yellow = urobilin pigment – breakdown of heme)
Factors influencing water resorption and urine quantity / characteristics:
o Hormones (for example antidiuretic hormone and aldosterone)
o Diet
o Exercise
o Environment
o Illness
Pyuria
Urine
•Colour
•Smell
•Acidity
The importance of the Urinary
System
Summary
Urinary System includes renal artery and vein, kidneys, ureters,
bladder and urethra
Nephrons are functional unit of kidneys
o Filter (glomerulus)
o Reabsorb (PCT, loop of Henle, DCT)
o Secrete (PCT, DCT, collecting duct)
Urine then moves through ureters, bladder and urethra
Nephrology - Physiology Reabsorption and Secretion
Renal System
Coming Up
This week’s seminar
- Urine Osmolality
Next week’s lecture:
- Body Composition