Urinary System

Urinary system

Kidneys

Ureters

Urinary bladder

urethra
 Kidney
rtex: outer part of kidney,
renal columns,
cortical labyrinth.
dulla: renal pyramids,
medullary rays.
um: minor calyces,major calyces,
pelvis,ureter
cortex and medulla of kidney
 glomerulus
Renal
corpuscle Bowman’s
capsule
nephron
Proximal
convoluted tubule Descending L.
Renal
Loop of Henle Loop
tubule
Distal Ascending L.
convoluted tubule
Uriniferous
Tubules
Collecting
tubules
 nephron

Superficial (cortical) nephron:85%

in relation to formation of urine
nephron
Juxtamedullary nephron:15%
in relation to concentration of urine.
 nephron
It is the structural and functional unit of kidney to form urine.
It consists of a renal corpuscle and a complicated renal tubule.

glomerulus
Renal
corpuscle Bowman’s
capsule
nephron
Proximal
convoluted tubule Descending L.
Renal Loop of Henle Loop
tubule
Distal Ascending L.
convoluted tubule
 1. Renal corpuscle
It has 2 poles: vascular pole and urinary pole.

glomerulus

Renal
corpuscle
Bowman’s
capsule
 1 ） glomerulus
A tuft of fenestrated capillaries: arterial capillaries
between which there has mesangium made up of
mesangial cells(MC) and mesangial matrix.

1.Maitenance basement
membrane

2.Phagocytosis
MC
3.Contract to regulate
the flow of blood
 2 ） renal capsule
Cup-like, blind end of renal tubule.

Parietal layer ：
simple squamous epithelium

Urinary space

Visceral layer ：
made up of podocytes
 3) Podocytes and
glomerular filtration barrier

Podocyte: has primary processes and

secondary processes.
Filtration barrier: structures between

blood and urinary space.

Fenestrated endothelial cells
Basal lemina
Glomerular slit diaphragm
glomerular filtration barrier
 2. Renal tubule
In cortex
Proximal
convoluted tubule

Descending L.
Renal Loop of Henle Loop
tubule Ascending L.

Distal
In medulla
convoluted tubule

In cortex
 1 ） proximal convoluted tubule
LM: the lumen is irregular.
cell: large,cuboidal or pyramidal;
cell boundaries are not clear;
have brush border on luminal surface;
show vertical striations on basal surface.

EM: show lateral interdigitations between adjacent cells;

have numerous microvilli on the luminal surfaces;
have infoldings of cytoplasm on basal surface.
Function of proximal convoluted tubule

Main site of reabsorption:

almost all glucose, amino acid and protein;
most of H20,ion etc.

Secretion : Na+,NH3,etc.
 2 ） loop of Henle

he wall is simple squamous epithelium.

ermeability to ions and water

 3 ） distal convoluted tubule

The lumen is larger

and more regular

LM: cells are stained lightly;

have distinct cell boundaries;
no brush border on free surface;
basal striations are obvious.

EM: microvilli are much shorter;

no lateral interdigitations
developed infoldings of cytoplasm.
Function of distal convoluted tubule

Main site for ion exchanging.

reabsorption of Na+,H20 and

secretion of K+,H+ and NH3.
Renal tubules
 3 Collecting tubules

Location: in medulla

Epithelium: simple cuboidal epi.

Function: concentration of urine.

 Formation of urine
Filtrate from the blood in glomerulus

Primary
Urine Renal space
180L/d

Absorption and excretion of renal tubules

Further concentrated by collecting

tubules
Terminal
Urine
Flow into the calyces and pelvis ,then leave the kidney
 4 Juxtaglomerular complex
Juxtaglomerular cells
Modified smooth muscle fibers in tunica media of
afferent arteriole at its entry to glomerulus.
Function: Producing renin and erythropoietin

Macula densa
modified epi. of distal convoluted tubule densely
packed together at the site of contact with arteriole.
Function: Sensing the change of [Na+]

Extraglomerular mesangial cells(lacis cells)

Between macula densa and afferent and efferent arterioles.
Function: Probably related to transferring information.
 Function of renin
Juxtaglomerular cells

renin angiotensinogen angiotensin-I

angiotensin-II
Enzyme
secreted by
endoepi.C

adrenal cortex secrets aldosterone

Increasinge BP
reabsorption of Na+ and H2O by distal convoluted
tubules and collecting tubules
Juxtaglomerular complex
 glomerulus
Renal
corpuscle Bowman’s
capsule
nephron
Proximal
convoluted tubule Descending Limb
Renal
Loop of Henle Loop
tubule
Distal Ascending Limb.
convoluted tubule
Uriniferous
Tubules
Collecting
tubules
 Ureter and urinary bladder
They have 3 layers: Mucosa,muscle layer and adventitia;
Transitional epithelium covers their luminal surface.
ureter
 Key points
1.Components of nephron and its function.

2.The characteristics of both proximal and distal convoluted

tubules under LM and EM.

3.The components of juxtaglomerular complex and their

function.

4.The epithelial type of ureter and urinary bladder.