By, Evelin Malinti

WHAT ARE THE STRUCTURES &

FUNCTIONS OF THE URINARY
SYSTEM

URYNARY SYSTEM
COMPONENTS
Kidney/Renal
Ureters

Urinary Bladder
Urethra

Urinary Tract

Functions of the Urinary System

Filtration of the blood
Occurs in the glomerulus of the kidney

nephron
Contributes to homeostasis by
removing toxins or waste

Functions of the Urinary System

Reabsorption of vital nutrients, ions and
water
Occurs in most parts of the kidney

nephron
Contributes to homeostasis by
conserving important materials

Functions of the Urinary System

Secretion of excess materials
Assists filtration in removing material

from the blood

Contributes to homeostasis by
preventing a build-up of certain materials in
the body such as drugs, waste,etc.

Functions of the Urinary System

Activation of Vitamin D
Vitamin D made in the skin is converted to

Vitamin D3 by the kidney

Active Vitamin D (D3) assists homeostasis
by increasing calcium absorption from the
digestive tract

Functions of the Urinary System

Release of Erythropoietin by the kidney
Erythropoietin stimulates new RBC

production
New RBCs assist homeostasis by
insuring adequate Oxygen and Carbon
Dioxide transport

Functions of the Urinary System

Release of Renin by the kidney
Renin stimulates the formation of a powerful

vasoconstrictor called Angiotensin II

Angiotensin II assists homeostasis by causing
vasoconstriction which increases blood
pressure

Functions of the Urinary System

Release of Prostaglandins
Prostaglandins dilate kidney blood vessels
Dilated blood vessels contribute to

homeostasis by maintaining blood flow in

the kidneys

Functions of the Urinary System

Secretion of H (+1) and reabsorption of

HCO3 (-1)
Eliminates excess hydrogen ions and
conserves buffer material such as
bicarbonate
Contributes to homeostasis by controlling
acid/base conditions in body fluids

Urinary System

Renal Vein

Renal artery
Kidney
Ureter

Urinary Bladder
Sphincters

Urinary System
Female Sphincters

Male Sphincters

Internal urethral
sphincter
External Urethral
Sphincter

WHAT ARE THE STRUCTURES &

FUNCTIONS OF KIDNEYS?

Position & Appearance of the

Kidney
Color: reddish-brown
Location: retroperitoneal
right kidney lower 1.5-2cm than left
kidney
Shape: lima bean-shape

KIDNEY DIAGRAM

Kidneys as Filters
Diuretic- loose water; coffee, alcohol
Antidiuretic- retain water; ADH
Aldosterone- sodium & water reabsorption, and
K+ excretion
GFR= 180 liters (50 gal) of blood/day
178-179 liters are reabsorbed back into blood
Excrete a protein free filtrate

Functions of Kidney Structures

The Renal Artery
Transports oxygenated blood from the heart and
aorta to the kidney for filtration

Renal Vein
Transports filtered and deoxygenated blood from
the kidney to the posterior vena cava and then the heart

Functions of Kidney Structures

Renal Column
A passageway located between the renal pyramids
found in the medulla and used as a space for blood
vessels
Nephron
The physiological unit of the kidney used for
filtration of blood and reabsorption and secretion
of materials

Functions of Kidney Structures

Capsule
The outer membrane that encloses, supports and
protects the kidney

Cortex
The outer layer of the kidney that contains most of
the nephron; main site for filtration, reabsorption
and secretion

Functions of Kidney Structures

Medulla
inner core of the kidney that contains the pyramids,
columns, papillae, calyces, pelvis and parts of the
nephron not located in the cortex; used for salt, water
and urea absorption
Renal Pyramids
Triangular shaped units in the medulla that house the
loops of Henle and collecting ducts of the nephron; site
for the counter-current system that concentrates
salt and conserves water and urea

Functions of Kidney Structures

Renal Papilla
The tip of the renal pyramid that releases urine into a
calyx

Calyx
A collecting sac surrounding the renal papilla that
transports urine from the papilla to the renal
pelvis

Functions of Kidney Structures

Renal Pelvis
Collects urine from all of the calyces in the kidney
Ureter
Transports urine from the renal pelvis to the
bladder

Maintaining
Chemical
Homeostasis
The Urinary
System

The Urinary System

Diagram of Kidney Nephron

Functions of Nephron Structures

AfferentArteriole
Transports arterial blood to the glomerulus for
filtration

Efferent Arteriole
Transports filtered blood from the glomerulus ,
through the peritubular capillaries and the vasa
recta, and to the kidney venous system

Functions of Nephron Structures

Glomerulus
The site for blood filtration
operates as a nonspecific filter; in that, it will remove
both useful and non-useful material
the product of the glomerulus is called filtrate
Bowmans Capsule
A sac that encloses Glomerulus and transfers filtrate
from the glomerulus to the Proximal Convoluted
Tubule (PCT)

Functions of Nephron Structures

Proximal Convoluted Tubule (PCT)
A thick, constantly actively segment of the

nephron that reabsorbs most of the useful

substances of the filtrate: sodium (65%),
water (65%), bicarbonate (90%), chloride
(50%), glucose (nearly 100%!), etc.
The primary site for secretion (elimination)
of drugs, waste and hydrogen ions

Functions of Nephron Structures

Decending Limb of the Loop of Henle
A part of the counter current multiplier
freely permeable to water and relatively

impermeable to solutes (salt particles)

receives filtrate from the PCT, allows water to be
absorbed and sends saltyfiltrate on the the
next segment. Saves water and passes the
salt

Functions of Nephron Structures

Ascending Limb of the Loop of Henle
a part of the counter current multiplier
impermeable to water and actively

transports (reabsorbs) salt (NaCl) to the

interstitial fluid of the pyramids in the medulla.
Saves salt and passes the water.
the passing filtrate becomes dilute and the
interstitium becomes hyperosmotic

Functions of Nephron Structures

Distal Convoluted Tubule (DCT)
receives dilute fluid from the ascending limb of

the Loop of Henle

Variably active portion of the nephron
When aldosterone hormone is present,
sodium is reabsorbed and potassium is
secreted. Water and chloride follow the
sodium.

Functions of Nephron Structures

Collecting Duct
receives fluid from the DCT
variably active portion of the Nephron

when antidiuretic hormone (ADH) is present,

this duct will become porous to water. Water

from the collecting duct fluid then moves by
osmosis into the salty (hyperosmotic)
interstitium of the medulla.
The last segment to save water for the body

Functions of Nephron Structures

Peritubular Capillaries
transport reabsorbed materials from the PCT

and DCT into kidney veins and eventually back

into the general circulation
help complete the conservation process
(reabsorption) that takes place in the kidney

Site of Filtration
Glomerulus
the Glomerulus is the site of filtration
the filtration mechanism is sieve-like

and consists of fenestrated glomerular

capillaries, podocytes and a basement
membrane that allows free passage of
water and solutes smaller than plasma
proteins

Location of the Glomerulus

Efferent
Arteriole

Afferent
Arteriole

Bowmans
Capsule
Glomerulus

Proximal
Convoluted
Tubule

Glomerular Filtration Mechanism

Podocyte with
Basement
Membrane

Glomerulus

Bowmans Capsule
Fenestrated Capillary

The Juxtaglomerular Apparatus

Description
the juxtaglomerular apparatus consists of

specialized macula densa cells that

develop in the distal convoluted tubule
(DCT) and specialized granular
juxtaglomerular (JG) cells that develop
mainly in the afferent arteriole. See
following diagram.

Bowmans Capsule

Efferent Arteriole

DCT
PCT

Granular Juxtaglomerular (JG)

Cells

Macula
Densa Cells
Afferent Arteriole

The Juxtaglomerular Apparatus

Used in maintaining blood pressure
if the blood pressure drops, the granular

JG cells release renin

renin converts the blood protein
angiotensinogen into angiotensin I which
converts to angiotensin II
angiotensin II acts as a vasoconstrictor to
raise blood pressure. Continued on next
slide.

The Juxtaglomerular Apparatus

Used in maintaining blood pressure

continued:
Angiotensin II also stimulates the release
of aldosterone hormone from the adrenal
cortex
aldosterone stimulates the DCT to
reabsorb salt (NaCl). Continued on next
slide.

The Juxtaglomerular Apparatus

Used in maintaining blood pressure

continued:
salt reabsorption attracts water to the
blood by osmosis and raises blood
volume, as well as, contributing to the
increase in blood pressure. Continued on
next slide.

Unit 1 - Objective 6

The Juxtaglomerular Apparatus

Used in maintaining blood pressure

continued:
the macula densa cells monitor the salt
content of the blood
if the blood salt content gets too high, the
macula densa cells begin to inhibit the
granular cells and suppress renin release

The Juxtaglomerular Apparatus

Used in maintaining blood pressure

continued:
suppression of renin acts as a negative
feedback mechanism to prevent further
increases in angiotensin II, Aldosterone
and blood pressure

The Juxtaglomerular Apparatus

Use in maintaining blood pressure

continued:
eventually the blood pressure will come
back down
the push/pull action of the granular
cells and macula densa cells provide an
effective mechanism for regulating blood
pressure in the kidney

Compare to the Nephron and recall parts

?
?

Were you able to locate the decending limb of

the Loop of Henle, the ascending limb of the
Loop of Henle, the collecting duct and the
vasa recta in the previous diagram? Be able to
explain these components in your discussion
of this mechanism.

We will begin our discussion of the counter current

mechanism with the ascending limb of the loop of
Henle (ALLH). This portion of the nephron reabsorbs
chloride by active transport. As chloride moves from
the filtrate it pulls along sodium into the interstitium
of the medulla. The medulla then becomes very
hyperosmotic

As salt (NaCl) leaves the ALLH, the osmolarity of the

fluid decreases from 1,200 to 100 milliosmoles/L
(mOSM/L). This happens because the ALLH is
impermeable to water. The net effect of this activity is
to remove salt from the kidney filtrate and transfer it
into the medulla where it can be saved for use by the
body.

The accumulated salt in the interstitium of the

medulla acts as an osmotic force which can be used to
draw and conserve water from other parts of the
nephron: the decending limb of the Loop of Henle
(DLLH) and the collecting duct. The DLLH is a thin
passive segment that is permeable to water, but,
impermeable to salt.

As the DLLH gives up water to the medullary

interstitium, the osmolarity of the fluid changes from
300 to 1,200 mOSM/L. The net effect of this process is
to conserve water for the body. Thus, the loop of
Henle actively transfers salt back into the kidney
which can be used to save water osmotically. A
remarkable process!

The hyperosmotic interstitium of the medulla will

also pull and conserve water from the collecting
duct, but, on a variable basis depending on the
availibility of ADH. As water moves from the
collecting duct, urea will follow. Thus, as water is
conserved at this level, a certain amount of urea is also
conserved. The urea contributes to the high
osmolarity of the medulla

The availibility of Antidiurectic Hormone (ADH) is

determined by dehydration and thirst. Under these
conditions, the hypothalamus makes extra ADH
and stores it in the posterior pituitary where it can
be released. The increased release of ADH causes the
water pores of of the collecting duct to open and
allow water to move from the urine to the medulla.

As water leaves the collecting duct, the urine becomes

progressively more concentrate. The osmolarity of the
collecting duct fluid will increase from about 150-300 to
1,200 mOsm/l. under these conditions. If ADH is not
present, water is not conserved and is lost as part of a
dilute urine (100 mOsm/l).

Unit 1 - Objective 7

The vasa recta is made up of a group of capillary like

vessels and is freely permeable to salt and water. The
vessels of the vasa recta roughly flow counter to the
loop of Henle and acts as a counter current exchanger.
As blood flows through the vasa recta it picks up
water and leaves behind salt. Thus, the vasa recta
returns conserved water back to the body and leaves
the salt which maintains the hyperosmotic medulla.

Urine
Water- 95%
Nitrogenous waste:
urea
uric acid
creatinine
Ions:
sodium
potassium
sulfate
phosphate
From the original 1800 g NaCl, only 10 g appears in the
urine

Hormonal
Control of
Kidney
Function

Hormonal Control of
Kidney Function
high plasma
solute
concentration

low blood volume

heart receptors

hypothalamus

Hormonal Control of
Kidney Function
hypothalamus
posterior pituitary
antidiuretic hormone
collecting ducts

Hormonal
Control of
Kidney
Function

Hormonal Control of
Kidney Function
reduced blood pressure and
glomerular filtrate
juxtaglomerular apparatus

renin

Hormonal Control of
Kidney Function

angiotensinogen
angiotensin I
angiotensin II

renin

Hormonal Control of
Kidney Function

angiotensin II
adrenal cortex
aldosterone
convoluted tubules

WHAT IS THE STRUCTURES AND

FUNCTION OF URETERS?

URETERS
Tubular organ. Each about

25 cm, begin from renal

pelvis and course inferiorly
to enter the urinary bladder
Consist of mucosal layer
and muscular layer
(protection & peristaltics)
Function: Carries urine
from the kidneys to the
urinry bladder

URINARY BLADDER
Saccular organ for storage of urine
Consist of layers:
1. Mucosa (transitional epithelium)
2. Muscular layer (detrusor muscle): 3 layers

of smooth muscle
3. Fibrous adventia
Served by autonomic nerves

Urinary Bladder

ureters
external
sphincters

internal
sphincters

urethra

Sphincter Muscles on Bladder

Internal urethral sphincter:
Smooth muscle
Involuntary control
More superiorly located

External Urethral sphincter:

Skeletal muscle
Voluntary control
Posteriorly located

URETHRA
Tubular organ that conveys urine from urinary bladder

to the outside of the body.

Female: 4 cm long, function only carry the urine
Male: 20 cm long, S-shape. Serves as the urinary and
reproductive system
Inside wall has lining by mucous membrane
Urethral gland secrete protective mucus to the urethral
canal
Two sphincters: internal (involuntary), external
(voluntary)

Diuresis (Micturition)
When bladder fills with 200 ml of urine,
stretch receptors transmit impulses to the
CNS and produce a reflex contraction of the
bladder (PNS)

When is incontinence normal?

Distension
of the
Urinary
Bladder