Self study

a) Read the assigned textbook pages.

• Johnson (2017) : Human Biology: Concepts and current issues, Chapter 15
The Urinary system p382- 387

b) Familiarise yourself with the key physiological terms/concepts related to

fluids and solutions (fluid tonicity) refer to 7th edition p69/ 8th edition p96
c) Watch video https://www.khanacademy.org/science/health-and-
medicine/human-anatomy-and-physiology/introduction-to-the-
kidneys/v/how-do-our-kidneys-work
d) Bring to class labelled and annotated diagrams of the:
• Urinary/excretory system
• Kidney
• Nephrons (p.414-417 7th Edition/ p385 -388 8th Edition )
 Lecture Outcomes
• Discuss the role of the kidney in homeostasis - osmoregulation and
excretion Ch. 15 p.383
• Identify and describe the wastes excreted by the urinary system
• Identify the main structures of the urinary system p.385
• List and explain the main functions of the main structures of the urinary
system Ch. 15 Table 2 7th Edition p.413
• Structure and function of nephrons p.415 8th edition
• Explore urine formation processes: filtration, reabsorption & secretion
• Hormonal control of urinary system function.
• Renal/urinary system dysfunctions
• To be covered during the lectures
 Revision: Pre-requisite knowledge

a) The chemistry of living things Chapter 2

b) Plasma membrane: Chapter 3
1.Membrane structure
2.Functions of membrane proteins – aquaporins (integral membrane proteins)
3.Permeability of the lipid bilayer
4.Passive transport: Diffusion, osmosis
5.Active transport: Na+/K+ pump & co-transport

c) Feedback controls: Positive vs. negative feedback mechanisms

Table 15.1
Physiological systems of operate in a fluid
environment
• How much fluid is there in the body?
• Where is it?
What is osmosis? What is osmolarity/tonicity?

p.69
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2VkW9L5QSU

Kidney

Renal artery
Renal vein

Aorta

Inferior
vena cava

Ureter

Bladder

Urethra

a) The components of the urinary system.

Figure 15.2a
Functions of the urinary system
How does the urethra differ
structurally and functionally in
males and females?
 Urinary
bladder

Rectum

Internal
Prostate urethral Uterus
gland sphincter
Vagina

External
Penis urethral Rectum
sphincter

Urethra

Testis

a) The male. b) The female.

Explain why urinary tract infections, which involve

the urethra and urinary bladder, are much more
common in females than males.
Figure 15.3
 Kidney
anatomy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FN3MFhYPWWo

Renal artery
Renal vein

Cortex
Renal
pelvis Medulla

Ureter

b) Internal structure of the kidney.

Figure 15.2b
 Renal
vein

Renal
artery

a) Main blood vessels in the kidney.

The renal artery and renal vein
branch many times to deliver
blood to each glomerulus.
Figure 15.5a
 Internal kidney anatomy - nephrons

Nephrons – the microscopic functional units of the kidney; make urine

• 1‐2 million per kidney!
Figure 44.14c

Nephron Types : Functional units of the kidney

Cortical Juxtamedullary
nephron nephron

Renal
cortex

Renal
medulla
 Nephron

• Renal corpuscle
– What are the two components of the renal corpuscle?

• Renal tubule
– Trace the pathway filtrate takes through the nephron and collecting
system from the capsular space to the papillary space.
 Collecting
duct

Efferent arteriole

Glomerulus

Afferent arteriole
Afferent
arteriole
Peritubular
capillaries
Cortex

Efferent
arteriole

Renal
vein Medulla

Renal
artery
Vasa recta

Pelvis

a) Main blood vessels in the kidney.
The renal artery and renal vein
branch many times to deliver
blood to each glomerulus.
b) Post-glomerular blood vessels. The efferent arteriole of most nephrons, such as the one shown here
on the left, divides to become the peritubular capillaries, which supply proximal and distal tubules in
the cortex. In a few nephrons, such as the one on the right, the efferent arteriole descends into the
medulla to become the vasa recta, which supply loops of Henle.
Figure 15.5
Nephron details
Fig. 44-14d
Afferent arteriole Glomerulus
from renal artery Bowman’s capsule
10 µm
SEM Proximal tubule
Peritubular capillaries

Efferent
arteriole from
glomerulus Distal
tubule
Branch of
renal vein Collecting
Descending duct
limb

Loop of
Henle Ascending
limb Vasa
recta

(d) Filtrate and blood flow

 Glomerular
capsule
Glomerulus
1 in other nephron segments.
Glomerular filtration:
Water, ions, glucose,
amino acids, bicarbonate,
and waste products
(urea, creatinine) are
filtered from the glomerular
capillaries into the space
within the glomerular capsule.
Afferent Efferent
arteriole arteriole 3
Tubular secretion:
Some drugs, waste products,
and ions (primarily hydrogen,
ammonium, and potassium)
are actively secreted from the
peritubular capillaries primarily
into the distal tubule but also
Proximal tubule
Distal tubule

Collecting duct
2
Tubular reabsorption:
Water, amino acids,
glucose, most ions
(including bicarbonate),
and some urea are
reabsorbed back into the
Artery Vein peritubular capillaries,
primarily in the proximal
tubule but also in other
nephron segments.

Urine

© 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. Figure 15.6