STRUCTURES OF THE KIDNEY

URINARY SYSTEM Renal Hilum

● a vertical cleft that leads into an internal space
● Metabolism of nutrients by body cells produces within the kidney called the renal sinus.
various wastes. ● ureter, renal blood vessels, lymphatics, and
● Every day the kidneys filter nearly 200 liters of nerves all join each kidney at the hilum and
fluid from the bloodstream occupy the sinus
● allowing toxins, metabolic wastes, and excess
ions to leave the body in urine Adrenal Gland
● while essential substances are retained to ensure
● aka suprarenal gland
proper body functioning.
● sit atop each kidney
● The urinary system bears the primary
● endocrine gland that is functionally unrelated to
responsibility for removing nitrogenous wastes
the
from the blood.
● kidney.
● MALFUNCTION of the urinary system leads to
a failure of homeostasis, resulting (unless
THREE LAYERS OF TISSURE
corrected) in death
SURROUNDING THE KIDNEY
FUNCTIONS OF THE URINARY 1. Renal Fascia
SYSTEM ○ an outer layer of dense fibrous
connective tissue that anchors the
● Disposal of wastes through the release of urine: kidney and the adrenal gland to
○ Nitrogenous wastes surrounding structure
○ Toxins 2. Perirenal Fat Capsule
○ Drugs ○ fatty mass that surrounds the kidney and
○ Excess ions cushions it against blows
○ Regulatory functions 3. Fibrous Capsule
● Gluconeogenesis during prolonged fasting ○ a transparent capsule that prevents
● Production of renin to maintain blood pressure infections in surrounding regions from
● Production of erythropoietin to stimulate red spreading to the kidneys
blood cell production
● Conversion of vitamin D to its active form
Calcitriol

ORGANS OF THE URINARY

SYSTEM

[Link]
● BEAN-SHAPED
● LOCATION:against the dorsal body wall in a
● retroperitoneal position (behind the
● parietal peritoneum)
● at the level of the T12 to L3 vertebrae
● The right kidney is slightly lower than the left
(because of position of the THREE REGIONS OF THE KIDNEY
● liver)
● MASS: 150g (5oz) 1. Renal Cortex
● Dimension:12 cm long, 6 cm wide, and 3 cm ○ most superficial region
thick ○ is light in color and has a granular
● about the size of a large bar of soap. appearance.
● Filters nearly 200L of fluid from bloodstream 2. Renal Medulla
● consumes 20-25% of the body’s oxygen at rest ○ Deep to the cortex is the darker,
reddish-brown renal medulla
 Renal Pyramid

○ cone-shaped tissue masses

○ called medullary or renal pyramids
○ The broad base of each pyramid faces
toward the cortex,
○ and its apex, or papilla (“nipple”), points
NEPHRON
internally
○ appear striped because they are formed ● Structural and functional units of the kidneys
almost entirely of parallel bundles of ● Each kidney contains over a million nephrons
microscopic urine-collecting tubules and
capillaries. MAIN STRUCTURES OF THE NEPHRON

Renal Column RENAL CORPUSCLE

● consists of:
○ inward extensions of cortical tissue Glomerulus
○ separate the pyramids.
● a knot of capillaries made of podocytes
Each pyramid and its surrounding cortical tissue ● Podocytes make up the inner (visceral) layer of
constitutes one of approximately eight lobes of a the glomerular capsule
kidney. ● Foot processes (podocytes: foot cells) cling to
the glomerulus
3. Renal Pelvis
● Filtration slits (clefts or openings of podocytes)
○ funnel-shaped tube
create a porous membrane—ideal for filtration
○ is continuous with the ureter leaving the
hilum. Glomerular (Bowman’s) Capsule
○ Branching extensions of the pelvis form
two or three major calyces (kalih-se˘z; ● is a cup-shaped structure that surrounds the
singular: calyx) glomerulus
○ Each one subdivides to form several ● First part of the renal tubule
minor calyces, cup-shaped areas that
enclose the papillae. RENAL TUBULE
○ collect urine, which drains continuously
from the papillae, and empty it into the ● Extends from glomerular capsule and ends when
renal pelvis. it empties into the collecting duct
● From the glomerular (Bowman’s) capsule, the
BLOOD SUPPLY OF THE KIDNEY subdivisions of the renal tubule are:
○ Proximal convoluted tubule (PCT)
● Under normal resting conditions, the large renal ■ elaborately coiled
arteries deliver one-fourth of the total cardiac ■ where filtrate first passes
output (about 1200 ml) to the kidneys each through
minute. ■ nearest
● Of the approximately 1200 ml of blood that ■ Attached to the glomerular
passes through the glomeruli each minute, some capsule
650 ml is plasma, and about one-fifth of this ○ Nephron loop (loop of Henle)
(120–125 ml) is forced into the renal tubules ■ hairpin loop
■ connects the PCT & DCT
■ Descending limb: begins in the
renal cortex and extends
downward into the renal
medulla.
■ Ascending limb: makes that
hairpin turn and returns to the
renal cortex where it terminates
at the DCT
○ Distal convoluted tubule (DCT)
■ farther away
 ■ last tubule that the filtrate will ● The glomerulus is a filter
pass through ● Filtration is a nonselective passive process
● Water and solutes smaller than proteins are
forced through glomerular capillary walls
● Proteins and blood cells are normally too large
to pass through the filtration membrane
● Once in the capsule, fluid is called filtrate
● Filtrate leaves via the renal tubule
● Filtrate will be formed as long as systemic blood
pressure is normal
● If arterial blood pressure is too low, filtrate
formation stops because glomerular pressure
will be too low to form filtrate

TYPES OF NEPHRONS [Link] ABSORPTION

Cortical Nephrons
● The peritubular capillaries reabsorb useful
● Located entirely in the cortex substances from the renal tubule cells, such as:
● Include most nephron ○ Amino Acids
● represents 85% of the nephrons in the kidney ○ Glucose
○ Ions
Juxtamedullary nephrons ○ Water
● Some reabsorption is passive; most is active
● Found at the cortex-medulla junction (ATP)
● Nephron loop dips deep into the medulla ● Most reabsorption occurs in the proximal
convoluted tubule
Collecting ducts collect urine from both types of
nephrons, through the renal pyramids, to the calyces,
and then to the renal pelvis
● total plasma volume filters into the renal tubules
Two capillary beds associated with each nephron about every 22 minutes,
● all our plasma would be drained away as urine in
GLOMERULUS less than 30 minutes were it not for the fact that
most of the tubule contents are quickly
● Fed and drained by arterioles
reclaimed and returned to the blood
● Afferent arteriole—arises from a cortical radiate
artery and feeds the glomerulus 3. TUBULAR SECRETION
● Efferent arteriole—receives blood that has
passed through the glomerulus ● Reabsorption in reverse
● Specialized for filtration ● Some materials move from the blood of the
● High pressure forces fluid and solutes out of peritubular capillaries into the renal tubules to be
blood and into the glomerular capsule eliminated in filtrate.
● Materials such as:
Peritubular capillary beds ○ Hydrogen and potassium ions
○ Creatinine
● Arise from the efferent arteriole of the
glomerulus Secretion is important for:
● Low-pressure, porous capillaries
● Adapted for absorption instead of filtration i. Getting rid of substances not already in
● Cling close to the renal tubule to receive solutes the filtrate
and water from tubule cells ii. Removing drugs and excess ions
● Drain into the interlobar vein iii. Maintaining acid-base balance of blood
● Materials left in the renal tubule move toward
URINE FORMATION the ureter

● urine formation is the result of 3 processes

1. GLOMERULAR FILTRATION
NITROGENOUS WASTE 2. URETERS
● poorly reabsorbed ● Slender tubes 25–30 cm (10–12 inches)
● remain in the filtrate and are excreted from ● attach the kidney to the urinary bladder
the body in the urine ○ Continuous with the renal pelvis
● Includes substances such as: ○ Enter the posterior aspect of the urinary
○ Urea bladder
○ Uric acid ○ Run behind the peritoneum
○ Creatinine ● Peristalsis aids gravity in urine transport
● 24 hours- 1.0 to 1.8 liters
● Urine and filtrate are different 3. URINARY BLADDER
Filtrate ● Smooth, collapsible, muscular sac situated
posterior to the pubic symphysis
● contains everything that blood plasma does
● Stores urine temporarily
(except proteins)
● the kidneys produce about 180 L of filtrate daily Trigone
Urine ● triangular region of the urinary bladder base
based on three openings
● is what remains after the filtrate has lost most of
● important clinically because infections tend to
its water, nutrients, and necessary ions through
persist in this region.
reabsorption
○ Two openings from the ureters (ureteral
● contains nitrogenous wastes and substances that
orifices)
are not needed
○ One opening to the urethra (internal
urethral orifice)
CHARACTERISTICS OF URINE
● In males, the prostate surrounds the neck of the
● Clear and pale to deep yellow in color urinary bladder
● Yellow color is normal and due to the pigment
urochrome (from the destruction of hemoglobin) WALLS OF THE URINARY BLADDER
and solutes
● Three layers of smooth muscle collectively
● Dilute urine is a pale, straw color
called the detrusor muscle
● Sterile at the time of formation
● Mucosa made of transitional epithelium
● Slightly aromatic, but smells like ammonia with
● Walls are thick and folded in an empty urinary
time
bladder
● Slightly acidic (pH of 6)
● Urinary bladder can expand significantly
● Specific gravity of 1.001 to 1.035
without increasing internal pressure
Solutes normally found in urine:
CAPACITY OF THE URINARY BLADDER
● Sodium and potassium ions
● A moderately full bladder is about 5 inches long
● Urea, uric acid, creatinine
and holds about 500 ml of urine
● Ammonia
● Capable of holding twice that amount of urine
● Bicarbonate ions
● maximum capacity of the bladder is 800– 1000
Salutes NOT normally found in urine: ml
● when it is overdistended, it may burst.
● Glucose
● Blood proteins
● Red blood cells
● Hemoglobin
● WBCs (pus)
● Bile
4. URETHRA ● Impulses travel back to the bladder via the
pelvic splanchnic nerves to cause bladder
● Thin-walled tube that carries urine from the contractions
urinary bladder to the outside of the body by ● When contractions become stronger, urine is
peristalsis forced past the involuntary internal sphincter
into the upper urethra
FEMALE ● Urge to void is felt
● The external sphincter is voluntarily controlled,
● carries only urine so micturition can usually be delayed
● 3 to 4 cm (1.5 inches long)
● anterior to the vaginal opening

MALE

● carries urine and sperm

● 20 cm (8 inches long)
● travels through the prostate and penis
● has 3 regions
○ Prostatic urethra
■ about 2.5 cm (1 inch) long, runs
within the prostate
○ Membranous urethra
■ runs through the urogenital
diaphragm,
FLUID, ELECTROLYTE, AND
■ extends about 2 cm from the ACID BALANCE
prostate to the beginning of the
penis Blood composition depends on three
○ Spongy urethra
factors:
■ about 15 cm long, passes
through the penis and opens at ● Diet
its tip via the external urethral ● Cellular metabolism
orifice.
● Urine output
RELEASE OF URINE IS CONTROLLED BY 2
Kidneys have four roles in maintaining
SPHINCTERS
blood composition
Internal urethral sphincter
● Excreting nitrogen-containing wastes
● Involuntary and made of smooth muscle (previously discussed)
● Maintaining water balance of the blood
External urethral sphincter ● Maintaining electrolyte balance of the blood
● Ensuring proper blood pH
● Voluntary and made of skeletal muscle
MAINTAINING WATER BALANCE OF
MICTURITION THE BLOOD
● Voiding, or emptying of the urinary bladder 1. Normal amount of water in the human body
● Two sphincters control the release of urine, the ● Young adult females = 50%
internal urethral sphincter and external urethral ● Young adult males = 60%
sphincter ● Babies = 75%
● The elderly = 45%
HOW IS MICTURITION IS FELT/INHIBITED
2. Water is necessary for many body functions,
● Bladder collects urine to 200 ml and levels must be maintained
● Stretch receptors transmit impulses to the sacral
region of the spinal cord
3. Water occupies three main fluid
compartments
 ● Intracellular fluid (ICF) 8. Hormones are primarily responsible for reabsorption
○ Fluid inside cells of water and electrolytes by the kidneys
○ Accounts for two-thirds of body
fluid ● Antidiuretic hormone (ADH) prevents excessive
● Extracellular fluid (ECF) water loss in the urine and increases water
○ Fluids outside cells reabsorption
○ includes blood plasma, ● ADH targets the kidney’s collecting duct
interstitial fluid (IF), lymph, and
transcellular fluid ELECTROLYTE BALANCE
● Plasma (blood)
○ is ECF ● Electrolytes include salts, acids, and bases,
○ but accounts for 3L of total ● but the term electrolyte balance usually refers to
body water the salt balance in the body
● Salts are important in controlling fluid
movements and provide minerals essential for
excitability, secretory activity, and membrane
permeability.
● Although many electrolytes are crucial for
cellular activity,

Maintaining Electrolyte Balance:

● Small changes in electrolyte concentrations

cause water to move from one fluid
4. The link between water and electrolytes
compartment to another
● Electrolytes are charged particles (ions)
● A second hormone, aldosterone, helps regulate
that conduct electrical current in an
blood composition and blood volume by acting
aqueous solution
on the kidney
● Sodium, potassium, and calcium ions
○ For each sodium ion reabsorbed, a
are electrolytes
chloride ion follows, and a potassium
5. Regulation of water intake and output
ion is secreted into the filtrate
● Water intake must equal water output if
○ Water follows salt: when sodium is
the body is to remain properly hydrated
reabsorbed, water follows it passively
● Sources for water intake
back into the blood
○ Ingested foods and fluids
○ Water produced from metabolic
processes (10%)
● Thirst mechanism is the driving force MAINTAINING ACID-BASE BALANCE
for water intake
6. Thirst mechanism
OF BLOOD
● Osmoreceptors
● Blood pH must remain between 7.35 and 7.45 to
○ are sensitive cells in the
maintain homeostasis
hypothalamus that become more
○ Alkalosis—pH above 7.45
active in reaction to small
○ Acidosis—pH below 7.35
changes in plasma solute
○ Physiological acidosis—pH between 7.0
concentration
and 7.3
○ When activated, the thirst center
● Kidneys play greatest role in maintaining
in the hypothalamus is notified
acid-base balance
● A dry mouth due to decreased saliva
● Other acid-base controlling systems
also promotes the thirst mechanism
○ Blood buffers
● Both reinforce the drive to drink
○ Respiration
7. Sources of water output
● Blood buffers
● Lungs (insensible since we cannot sense
○ Acids are proton (H+) donors
the water leaving)
○ Strong acids dissociate completely and
● Perspiration
liberate all of their H+ in water
● Feces
○ Weak acids, such as carbonic acid,
● Urine
dissociate only partially
○ Bases are proton (H+) acceptors
○ Strong bases dissociate easily in water
and tie up H+
○ Weak bases, such as bicarbonate ion
and ammonia, are slower to accept H+