Urinary System-

Anatomy and Physiology

Zoe McCarthy

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Urinary System in Context

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 Urinary System in Context
System How does it do it?

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Functions of the Urinary system
• 1. Regulating blood volume and pressure

• 2. Regulating plasma concentrations of sodium,

potassium, chloride and other ions

• 3. Stabilising blood pH

• 4. Conserving nutrients

• 5. Detoxifying poisons (with the liver)

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Organisation of the Urinary System
• Kidneys
• Ureters
• Urinary bladder
• Urethra

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 Position of the Kidneys
CT abdomen with contrast MRI coronal abdomen

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 Protection of the Kidneys
• 3 layers of connective
tissue: Renal cortex

– Inner layer- Renal capsule

– Middle layer- Adipose

capsule

– Outer layer-Renal fascia

Retroperitoneal space

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 Surface anatomy of the Kidney
• Hilum is located on
the medial surface

10 cm

3cm

5.5cm
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Internal Structure of the Kidney
Renal Lobe

Renal pyramids

Renal papilla

Renal Columns

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Microscopic structure of the Kidney
and Urine Production

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Renal Corpuscle and Filtration

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Nephron-Tubular System
1. Proximal convoluted
tubule
2. Descending loop of
Henle
3. Ascending loop of
Henle
4. Distal convoluted
tubule
5. Collecting duct

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 Summary so far…..
Blood enters the kidney The renal artery divides in
Afferent arterioles take blood to Once blood is filtered
through the renal artery at to ever smaller arteries and
the glomerulus to be filtered efferent arterioles take blood
the site of the hilum arterioles
away from the glomerulus

The PCT is concerned with The filtered substances

reabsorption- organic nutrients are
reabsorbed and water follows
because there is a concentration
gradient
Products which are filtered out:
move into the proximal
water, mineral salts, amino acids,
convoluted tubule
glucose, hormones, urea, toxins
The glomerulus is a
network of capillaries
which filters the blood

Products which do not filter

The remaining filtrate moves
into the descending loop of
henle. This is lined with thin
cells so water moves out
A number of other nephrons join
up to the cleectig duct which
travels through the medulla to the
renal papilla wher the filtrate is
emptied in the minor calyx
Because water has been
reabsorbed the concentration
of the filtrate is not very high
From the DCT the filtrate now
passes into the collecting duct.
and remain in the blood:
The walls of the ascending loop Leukocytes, erythrocytes,
of henle are lined with thicker platelets, plasma proteins
cells, so water can’t pass in or
out. Instead sodium and
chloride is pumped out actively
The filtrate now enters the
distal convoluted tubule- is it
now only 20% of what it
In the DCT the volume and
originally was.
composition of the filtrate
can be adjusted but this is
controlled by hormones

4-5 minor calyces join up to 2-3 major calyces join up

The renal pelvis joins the The ureter transport the
make a major calyx to form the renal pelvis
ureter at the hilum filtrate/urine from the kidney
to the bladder

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 The Formation of Urine
• 3 processes involved in the formation of
urine.

– Simple filtration
– Selective reabsorbtion
• Hormonal control-
» Parathyroid hormone, calcitonin
» Anti diuretic hormone
» Aldosterone
– Secretion
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Ureters
• Superiorly
• Continuous with the renal
pelvis
• Inferiorly
• Pass through the abdominal
cavity, behind the peritoneum,
infront of the psoas muscle,
into the pelvic cavity ehere
they enter the posterior wall
of the bladder

• 25-30 cm in length

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Ureter- Cross Section
• 3 layers of tissue

– Outer layer
• Fibrous tissue
– Middle layer
• Muscle
– Inner layer
• Epithelium

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Bladder

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Bladder- structure of
• 3 layers
– Outer layer
• Loose connective
tissue
– Middle layer
• Smooth muscle and
elastic fibres
– Inner layer
• Lined with transitional
epithelium

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 Urethra
• Extends from the
base of the bladder to
the outside world.
• Anatomical
differences mean that
male and female
urethras are different.
– Female: 4cm
long
– Male: 14cm
long

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Urethra- structure of
• Muscle layer

• Submucosa layer

• Mucosa

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