Академический Документы
Профессиональный Документы
Культура Документы
Anatomy of micturition
Overview of the urinary system
Function:
Controls the composition and
volume of blood
Removes waste products as urine
Expels urine from the body during
micturition (controlled by the
nervous system)
Formation of urine
Bladder filling: both sphincters are closed, the detrusor is relaxed, urine enters the bladder
Bladder emptying: the detrusor contracts, the sphincters open, urine leaves the bladder
Disruption of the neural control of the sphincters and detrusor can cause incontinence
Elimination of urine from the body
Urine is eliminated from the body via the urethra (the final portion of the urinary system)
The male urethra is much longer than the female and passes through the prostate gland
BPH in men and atrophic urethra in women can lead to urinary problems (e.g. incontinence)
Summary of the urinary system
The urinary system removes waste products from the blood and eliminates
it as urine during micturition
Urine is formed in the nephrons, then travels from the kidneys through the
ureters into the bladder
As the bladder fills, the sphincters are closed and the detrusor is relaxed
When the bladder needs emptying, the detrusor contracts and the bladder
sphincters open
When the bladder is almost full, a full signal is sent via afferent nerves to the brain, which
then perceives the bladder to be full
When the bladder feels full, the brain sends signals via the efferent pathway to contract the
detrusor muscle and open the internal sphincter, resulting in bladder emptying
Autonomic and somatic control of the bladder
Bladder filling:
Parasympathetic system is inhibited, to keep the detrusor from contracting
Sympathetic system is activated, which closes the sphincters and prevents
leakage of urine
Bladder emptying:
The parasympathetic system is activated and the signal for bladder contraction
is carried from the CNS to the detrusor muscle
The sympathetic system is inhibited, so that the internal sphincter relaxes,
allowing urine to be expelled from the bladder
Thus, the detrusor stays relaxed to allow further filling, while the
sphincters tighten to prevent urine leakage
At this point in continent people the external sphincter remains closed and
urination does not occur
When convenient, voluntary impulses from the brain inhibit the sympathetic system
so that the external sphincter relaxes, allowing urination to take place
Urine flow can be stopped at any time by voluntary activation of the sympathetic
system, which tightens the external sphincter and prevents urine from escaping
Summary of micturition