urinary system is composed of and function
kidneys, ureters, urinary bladder, and urethra
•Storage & Expulsion of urine
•Regulate blood volume under hormones
•Regulation of erythrocyte production by the release of erythropoietin (EPO)
•Regulation of ion levels, such as sodium, potassium, calcium, and phosphate
•Regulation of acid-base balance by altering levels of hydrogen and bicarbonate ions
kidneys covered? nerve connect?
retroperitoneal against posterior abdominal wall
-superior pole have adrenal glands left kidney is at T12
right kidney is lower for liver
Inferior pole at L3 vertebra
hilum— medial border where vessels, nerves, and the ureter connect
•The hilum is continuous with renal sinus
kidney is surrounded by, innermost to outermost:
•Fibrous capsule: dense irregular CT
•Perinephric fat: adipose providing cushioning
•Renal fascia: dense irregular connective tissue anchoring kidney to posterior abdominal wall
Paranephric fat: adipose between renal fascia and peritoneum
A kidney is divided into
-outer renal cortex and inner renal medulla
-Renal columns- extensions of renal cortex to create renal pyramids
-borer of cortex and medulla- corticomedullary junction
-apex (tip) of a renal pyramid renal papilla
minor calyx, major calyx, renal pelvis, renal lobes of kidney
minor calyx hollow funnel
form major calyx
form renal pelvis
• pelvis collect urine and transports it into the ureter
A kidney has 8 to 15 renal lobes
•Each lobe consists of a renal pyramid and cortical tissue surrounding
Blood Supply to the Kidney
-Blood enters renal arteries
-branch into segmental arteries
- branch interlobar arteries
•Interlobar arteries travel in renal columns
- corticomedullary junction, interlobar arteries branch into arcuate arteries
branches interlobular arteries -radiate out to cortex
after interlobular arteries enter the kidney cortex
extend afferent arterioles
enters a renal corpuscle and forms tuft of capillaries glomerulus
Some plasma is filtered out of the capillaries into the capsular space within the renal corpuscle
- remaining blood exits glomerulus and the renal corpuscle via efferent arteriole
Efferent arterioles of kidney branch into
•Peritubular capillaries: surround convoluted tubules and reside in cortex
or
•Vasa recta: with nephron loop and reside in the medulla
kidney arterioles after Peritubular capillaries or vasa recta
Peritubular capillaries and vasa recta drain into a network of veins
smallest interlobular veins
form arcuate veins
form the interlobar veins
merge in renal sinus to form the renal vein
Kidney is innervated by
Kidney is innervated by sensory and autonomic fibers renal plexus- enters kidney at the hilum
Pain referred to dermatomes T10–T12
nephron
filtration unit of kidney
renal corpuscle and renal tubule (proximal convoluted tubule, a nephron loop, and a distal convoluted tubule)
two types
•Cortical nephrons: in kidney cortex; 85%
•Juxtamedullary nephrons: renal corpuscle near corticomedullary junction and nephron loop extends into medulla; 15% of all nephrons
Nephrons form urine through three processes:
•Filtration
only in the glomerulus.
•Water and some dissolved solutes move out of glomerulus and into capsular space of renal corpuscle
•Once fluid leaves plasma and enters capsular space filtrate
•Tubular reabsorption
(PCT)
•Substances in filtrate reenter to blood
•Most water and all needed solutes in filtrate are reabsorbed
•Tubular secretion
DCT
•Solutes transported out of blood and into tubular fluid
Renal corpuscle
bulbous part of nephron
•Glomerulus: tangle of capillaries
•Glomerular capsule: an epithelial capsule surrounding glomerulus; made of two layers separated by capsular space
•Visceral layer -(contacting glomerulus) made of podocytes
•Parietal layer - simple squamous epithelium
vascular pole, afferent arteriole enters and efferent arteriole exits
tubular pole, proximal convoluted tubule(PCT) exits
Filtration membrane three layers (from innermost to outermost):
1.Endothelium of glomerulus: fenestrated, allowing filtration but preventing passage of larger materials ( cells, platelets)
2.Basement membrane of glomerulus: porous; restricts passage of large proteins
3.Visceral layer of glomerular capsule: made of podocytes-cells with long processes called pedicels wrap around the glomerular capillaries
•Pedicels are separated by filtration slits
It is the role of the remainder of the nephron to adjust the contents of the filtrate
proximal convoluted tubule (PCT)
at tubular pole of renal corpuscle
Walls are simple cuboidal epithelium with tall microvilli
Cells reabsorb almost all nutrients leaked through the filtration membrane
•Reabsorbed nutrients and water enter peritubular capillaries and are returned to the general circulation
nephron loop
(loop of Henle) projects into the medulla
1.Descending limb: extends from cortex into the medulla
•simple cuboidal then simple squamous epithelia
2.Ascending limb: returns from medulla into cortex
•Lined with simple squamous then simple cuboidal epithelia
reabsorption of water and solutes (especially sodium and chloride ions)
distal convoluted tubule (DCT)
in renal cortex and contacts afferent arteriole wall at the vascular pole
-simple cuboidal epithelium (microvilli sparse and short)
Secretes K+ and H+ from peritubular capillaries into tubular fluid
Responds to ADH and aldosterone by altering reabsorption
•ADH increased water reabsorption
•Aldosterone increased sodium reabsorption
How Tubular Fluid Becomes Urine
DCT lead to collecting tubules that empty into collecting ducts
•Collecting ducts course through medulla toward renal papilla
•They are lined by simple cuboidal then simple columnar epithelia
Collecting ducts modify tubular fluid under the influence of aldosterone- Na+ reabsorption and ADH -H2O reabsorption
- tubular fluid leaves collecting duct and enters papillary duct, urine
•Collecting duct empties into papillary duct that opens into minor calyx
•Minor calyx leads to major calyx which leads to pelvis
•Calyces and pelvis are lined with transitional epithelium
juxtaglomerular apparatus
regulate blood pressure
•Granular cells (juxtaglomerular cells): modified smooth muscle cells of afferent arteriole located at vascular pole of renal corpuscle
• release renin, increase in blood pressure
• response to drop in blood pressure or stimulation by sympathetic nervous system
•Macula densa: modified epithelial cells in distal convoluted tubule that contact granular cells
•Monitor NaCl concentration in tubular fluid and can stimulate granular cells
•Extraglomerular mesangial cells sit between granular cells and arterioles
•Can contract and phagocytize filtered particles
urinary tract is composed of
•Ureters
•Urinary bladder
•Urethra
ureters location
urine from kidney to urinary bladder
renal pelvis at the hilum of the kidney
base of urinary bladder at its posterolateral wall
Wall of ureter
•Mucosa - transitional epithelium and lamina propria (dense irregular CT)
•Muscularis - inner longitudinal layer and outer circular layer of smooth muscle
•Adventitia of areolar connective tissue
urinary bladder
storage of urine
posterior to pubic symphysis
females, lies anteroinferior to uterus and directly anterior to the vagina
males, anterior to the rectum and superior to the prostate gland
Only its superior surface is covered with peritoneum
Urinary Bladder regions
Empty bladder -upside-down pyramidal shape
•Neck of bladder inferiorly and connects to urethra
triangular area of the urinary bladder is trigone
two ureteral openings
Four tunics form the wall of the urinary bladder:
•Mucosa: Transitional epithelium that lines the internal surface of the bladder; rugae (mucosal folds) allow for further distension
•Submucosa: Dense irregular connective tissue that supports urinary bladder wall
•Muscularis: Three layers of smooth muscle collectively called the detrusor muscle
•A thickened internal urethral sphincter is present at urethral opening
•Adventitia: outer layer of areolar connective tissue
urethra and what controls urine release
originating at urinary bladder, conducts urine to exterior of body
Lined with mucin-producing cells in mucosa
Has smooth muscle to help propel urine
control release of urine
•Internal urethral sphincter neck of bladder; involuntary
•External urethral sphincter urogenital diaphragm; voluntary
Female urethra cell
transports only urine
•Stratified squamous epithelium
Male urethra and 3 segments
urinary and reproductive functions
•three segments:
•Prostatic urethra: Through prostate gland; transitional epithelium lining
•Membranous urethra: Short segment through urogenital diaphragm; stratified columnar or pseudostratified epithelial lining
•Spongy urethra: Long segment through erectile tissue of penis; lined by pseudostratified epithelium proximally and stratified squamous distally
opening is called the external urethral orifice
Micturition
(urination)expulsion of urine from bladder
Controlled by micturition reflex
•Extension of bladder excites its stretch receptors which signal spinal cord’s reflex center
•Parasympathetic signals are sent to internal urethral sphincter (to relax it) and detrusor muscle (to excite it)
•Voluntary relaxation of external urethral sphincter required
•Abdominal muscle contraction also helps empty bladder
Aging and the Urinary System
Blood flow to kidneys decreases
Number of functional nephrons decreases
Decreased responsiveness to aldosterone and ADH
Less control of blood volume and pressure
Bladder decreases in size and loses muscle tone
Control of urethral sphinters may be lost leading to incontinence
Development of the Urinary System
Most of urinary system forms from intermediate mesoderm of embryo
Urogenital ridges are bilateral embryonic structures that give rise to pairs of:
•Pronephros: Vestigial organ that quickly degenerate in fourth week
•Mesonephros: saclike segments in thoracic and lumbar regions that appear in fourth week and persist until Week 10
•Metanephros: adult kidney; takes over urine production by Week 10
•Forms ureteric bud (gives rise to calyces, pelvis, ureter) and metanephric mesoderm (forms nephron parts)