Chapter 23

The Urinary System

The story of your Kids

Urinary system consists of 2

kidneys (kids), each kid has a
pipe called the ureter that
connects to the bladder, the
release hose from the bladder is
called the ______ Franklin

Two kidneys

Two ureters
Bladder

Urethra
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Kidney Location
The kidneys are
kidney bean shaped,
or
About the size of your
fist
RetroperitonealFound posterior to the
peritoneum of the
abdominal cavity,
Right kid lower then
left, Why?
Eleventh and twelfth
rib partially covers
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them

The Urinary System

The URINary systems major job is to produceURINe
Urine is created from the kids filtering the blood,
the result is a sterile waste product called urine
Nephrology (Kidney Study)- is the study of the
pathology of the kidneys
Urology (urine study)- study of the male and
female urinary system and the male reproductive
system
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Kidney Functions
We will concentrate on the kids ability to form urine but
they do other things as well:
Detoxifies free radicals and drugs
Gluconeogenesis- regulates blood sugar
pH by regulating H+ and bicarbonate ions
Electrolytes regulation in the blood - Na+, K+, Ca++
Erythropoietin secretion
Blood pressure regulation- two ways by Renin hormone
and Renal resistance
Fluid balance- both osmolarity and blood volume by
regulating water in the blood
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Drunk Guys pEE Behind Fences

Nitrogenous Wastes
Kidneys filter blood plasma, returns useful
substances to blood and eliminates waste
Urea
proteinsamino acids NH2 removed forms
ammonia NH3, liver converts to urea

Uric acid
nucleic acid catabolism

Renal failure
azotemia: BUN (Blood Urea Nitrogen), nitrogenous
wastes in blood
uremia: toxic effects as wastes accumulate
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Anatomy of Kidney
A sliced kidney reveals two
parts:
1.) Renal cortex- outer area
2.) Renal medulla- inner area
renal columns, pyramids,
papilla

Additional anatomy:
Renal Capsule- sausage
covering
Hilus- pushed in center spot
where blood vessels,
lymphatic vessels, nerves and
ureter penetrate the kidney
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Flow- Urines Journey

The parenchyma of
the kidney contains
functional units
(about one million)
called:
Nephrons- forms
urine that passes to Collecting ductsthese guys go to the
point of the
pyramids, then
urine flows to:

Of Minors and Majors

Minor calyces to the major calyces- funnel like structures
that drain the urine to:
Renal pelvis- large basin that collects the urine and sends
it to the ureter to the urinary bladder

Blood Supply to the Kidneys I

Renal artery- main artery
entering the renal hilus
Renal vein- main vein
exiting the kidney
Interlobar vessels- pass
through the renal columns
between the pyramids
Arcuate vessels- ARC
around the distal end of
the pyrimids
The arcuate vessels send
out interlobular vessels
that go into the cortex

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Blood Supply to the Kidneys II

Each nephron receives one afferent arteriole, which
divides into a:
Glomerulus (little ball)- a ball shaped capillary network
Efferent arteriole- reuniting of the glomerulus capillaries
that drains the blood out of the glomerulus
Peritubular capillaries- further division of efferent
arterioles, surround the tubular portions of the nephron

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The Unique Glomerulus

The glomerulus is unique in two ways:
1.) Glomerulus capillaries are unique- positioned
between two arteries, not (like usual) between an
artery and a vein
2.) The glomerulus is part of the cardiovascular
AND urinary systems

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Renal Corpuscle
Glomerulus and Glomerular capsule (Bowmans
Capsule)

Glomerular filtrate collects in capsular space, flows

into renal tubule
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The Nephron

Functional units of the kidneys

3 processes:
1.) Filtering blood
2.) Returning useful substances
3.) Removing non-needed substances
NEPHRONS MAINTAINS THE
HOMEOSTASIS OF BLOOD AND PRODUCES
URINE
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Parts of the Nephron

Two portion:
Renal corpuscle
Glomerulus
Glomerular capsule called Bowmans Capsule

Renal tubule
Proximal convoluted tubule
Loop of Henle (all the good anatomy structures are
taken)
Distal convoluted tubule
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Renal Tubule
PCT- Proximal convoluted
tubule
Nephron loop (Loop of Henle)U shaped; descending +
ascending limbs
Distal convoluted tubule (DCT)

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Two Homes for Nephrons

Cortical nephrons (85%) - most of
the nephrons
Lie in the cortex mostly
Has SHORT loop of Henle that dips
only slightly into the medulla

Juxtamedullary nephrons (15%)small amount of nephrons

Lie in the cortex BUT close to the
medulla
Has LONG loop of Henle that go
into the deepest region of the
medulla
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Parts of the Nephron

Descending limb of the loop of Henle- this part of the loop
dips into the medulla
Loop of Henle- connects the proximal to the distal
convoluted tubules
Ascending limb of the loop of Henle- this part takes the
LOOP (hairpin curve) and returns to the renal cortex
Collecting ducts- the place where the distal convoluted
tubules dump
Papillary ducts- converging of many collecting ducts
Dont Look At Cows Peeing
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Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR)

Filtrate formed per minute
Fluid that enters the capsule space of the
glomerulus is called glumerular filtrate.
Filtration fraction = the portion of blood in the
afferent arterioles that becomes glumerular filtrate
More then 99% of glumerular filtrate is returned
to the blood by tubular reabsorption
About 1-2 quarts is excreted as urine per day
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Effects of GFR Abnormalities

GFR, urine output rises dehydration,
electrolyte depletion
GFR wastes reabsorbed
GFR controlled by adjusting glomerular blood
pressure
autoregulation
sympathetic control
hormonal mechanism: renin and angiotensin
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Filtration Membrane
Filtration membrane =
A leaky barrier,
formed by glomerular
capillaries
Permits: filtration of
water and small
solutes
Prevents: proteins,
blood cells from
going through

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Filtration
Remember, ALL capillaries filter (Starlings Law)
they all have pressure in them
Principle of filtration = Forcing fluids and solutes
through a membrane by pressure
But the glomerular capillaries filters more
3 reasons:
1.) Large surface area
2.) Thin and leaky
3.) High blood pressure- the efferent blood vessels
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are small, the afferent bigger

The Great Recycling Analogy

Trucks dump into a hopper, where the smaller
items passes onto a conveyor belt (glomerular
filtration of blood) As the conveyor belt bring the
stuff along, workers remove useful items
(reabsorption) Other workers place additional
larger stuff on the belt (secretion) At the end of the
belt all the stuff on the belt goes to the dump
(urine)
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Antidiuretic Hormone (ADH)

ADH- a hormone that stops water loss
ADH Is inhabited by alcohol the result is dilute (clear)
but plentiful urine

The rate at which H2O is lost from the body is

dependent upon ADH
When ADH is high, urine is concentrated
When ADH is low, dilute urine is produced

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Kidney Tests
Blood tests
BUN- blood urea nitrogen, the result of protein
metabolism, increased BUN is bad
Indications are renal disease or obstruction of the
urinary tract

Urinalysis (UA)- evaluation of the chemical of the

urine
Microscopic and DIP-STICK is used to evaluate urine

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Dip Stick I
(Look to your right)
A thin piece of plastic with small boxes of
chemical that is placed in urine and tells:
pH- normal avg. 6
Specific gravity- urine weight compared to water,
should be 1.001-1.035, just slightly heavier then
water, but not much more or the urine will have
substances in it
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Dip Stick II
Albumin- a protein in the blood, big molecule, if found in
large amounts then the membranes of the kidney are
damaged to let it through
Glucose- If too much glucose is in the blood (usually
above 300 ppm) it will spill into the urine, no glucose
should be found in the urine, suspect diabetes
Blood- if found in urine it may be due to menstrual blood,
trauma to the genitals or kidney stones
Leukocytes- possible infection or not a clean catch, if
infection is suspected must be correlated with other tests
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Dip Stick III

Ketones- Byproduct from fatty acid metabolism,
fasting, anorexia and high fat/ low carbohydrates
diets can raise ketones. Also seen in diabetes,
correlate with ________ *
Bilirubin- excessive of RBCs being destroyed by
macrophages
Urobilogen- Anemia, liver problems, mono

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Micro/Macroscopic Urine
MACRO- Urines color should be yellow to amber,
(red urine? Usually not blood but _____
Turbidity- Urine should be transparent after
voiding
Odor- Should not be sweet smelling
If it is sweet smelling then suspect diabetes

MICRO- Casts are tiny tubes found in the urine

Microbes- E. Coli, Candida
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Urines Journey Out

Urine drains from the calyces (minor then major) to
the renal pelvis into the ureters and then into the
urinary bladder and out it goes through the urethra
Ureters- peristaltic contraction in the walls of the
ureters push urine to the bladder
A foot long
At the end of the ureters is a hole that acts like a valve
that shuts when the bladder gets full, preventing back
flush
mucosa - transitional epithelium
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lumen very narrow, easily obstructed

Urinary Bladder and Urethra - Female

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The Journey Continues

Urinary bladder- hollow, muscular organ just posterior to
the symphysis pubis.
The bladder is like a triangle pointing down, the top
superior and lateral points are where the two ureters enter
the bladder, mucosa: transitional epithelium
The Urethra drains the bladder at the inferior point of the
triangle, rugae: relaxed bladder wrinkled
The urethra has circular muscle fibers that form the
internal urethral sphincter
The urethra has another sphincter below the internal
sphincter called the external sphincter, it is composed of
skeletal (Hold it!) voluntary muscle
Capacity: moderately full = 2 cups, maximum = 3 32
cups

Female Urethra
Short, purpose- void urine
External urethral orifice
between vaginal orifice and
clitoris

Internal urethral sphincter

smooth muscle, involuntary
control

External urethral sphincter

skeletal muscle, voluntary
control
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Male Bladder and Urethra

Long, duo purpose = void urine &
Ejaculate
Internal urethral sphincter
External urethral sphincter

3 regions
prostatic urethra
during orgasm receives semen

membranous urethra
passes through pelvic cavity

spongy urethra in penis

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Voiding Urine Micturition

Micturition- urination, voiding, number one, peeing
When the bladder gets full, stretch receptors initiate the
spinal nerves to open the sphincters
Because the external sphincter is skeletal muscle we can
over ride this reflex and Hold it!
Valsalva maneuver
aids in expulsion of urine by pressure on bladder
can also activate micturition reflex voluntarily

A lack of the ability to hold it is called incontinence,

failure to void completely is called retention
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Adult Micturition Reflex Diagram

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Waste Management
The urinary system is concerned with getting rid of
waste
Other organs join in with this task:
Blood/ lymphatic system
Liver
Gall bladder- holds waste accumulated from liver
Skin
GI tract
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URINARY DIS-EASE I
UTI- Urinary tact infection- more common in
females due to short urethra
Brights disease- inflammation of glomeruli of
kidney, strep infection also called
glomerulonephritis
Renal disease- chronic and acute, decreased
glomerular filtration rate
Kidney stones- majority are calcium stones, pain
more from urinary backup than stone pressing into
ureter
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Kidney Stones

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URINARY DIS-EASE II
Urethritis- inflamed urethra from UTI usually
Cystitis- inflammation of bladder from UTI or
honeymoon
Pyleonephritis- inflammation of kidneys usually
from bladder infection going up commonly called
Kidney infection
Polycystic kidney disease- cysts of the kidneys,
inherited, causes renal failure shortly after birth
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URINARY DIS-EASE III

Enuresis- (en-yoo-RE-sis)- bed wetting
Pyelogram (PI-e-lo-gram)- X-ray of the kids after
iodine injection
Polyuria- peeing too much, a birds urine

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