Genitourinary System

Question 1

What is the perotneum?

Answer 1

A continuous serous membrane that lines the abdominal cavity and covers the abdominal organs

Question 2

What is the function of the peritoneum?

Answer 2

Supports viscera
Provides pathway for blood vessels and lympth to travel to and from visera

Question 3

Structure of the peritoneum:

Answer 3

Made from simple squamous epithelial cells called mesothelium
Consists of two layers continuous with one an other:
- Parietal peritoneum: lines internal surface of abdominopelvic wall, derived from somatic mesoderm, well localised pain as recieves same nerve supply as region of wall it lines, sensitive to pressure, pain, laceration and temperature
- Visceral Peritoneum: invaginates to cover majortity of abdominal viscera, from splanchinic mesoderm, poorly localised pain, only sensitive to stretch and chemical irritation, pain refered to dermatomes which are supplied by same sensory ganglia

Question 4

What are the intraperitoneal organs?

Answer 4

Stomach
Spleen
Liver
1st & 4th parts of duodenum
Jejunum
Ileum
Transverse and sigmoid colon

Question 5

What are retroperitaneal organs?

Answer 5

Organs nor related to visceral peritoneum, peritoneum only covers anterior aspect
- Oesophagus
- Rectum
- Kidney
- Adrenal glands
- Aorta
- Ureters
- Pancreas
- Parts of stomach
- Part of duodenum
- Descending colon

Question 6

Where are the kidney’s located?

Answer 6

From T12 - L3
Covered by 11th and 12th ribs
Adrenal glands superior to kidney
Right kidney lower than left due to liver
Each around 3 vertebrae in length

Question 7

What are the functions of the kidney?

Answer 7

Filter waste to produce urine
Regulate blood: pressure, ions, pH, osmolarity, volume, glucose level
Hormone production:
- Calcitriol: active vitamin D, raises blood calcium levels to increase absorption from gut
- Erythropoietin: in response to hypoxia, increases RBC count

Question 8

What is the surface anatomy of kidney?

Answer 8

Covered by a fibrous capsule
Superior and inferior pole
Hilum: where renal artery and renal vein enter/ leave
Renal pelvis: where ureter forms from

Question 9

Draw and labels a cross section of the kidney:

Answer 9

• Cortex vs medulla
  Renal hilum: renal nerve, renal vein, renal artery
  Renal pelvis
  Ureter
  Capsule
  Renal column
  Papilla
  Pyramid
  Major and minor calyx
  Interlobular blood vessels
  Cortical blood vessels
  Arcute blood vessels

Question 10

Draw and label a nephron

Answer 10

Glomerular capillaries
Bowman’s capsule
Proximal convoluted tubule
Thin descending, thin ascending, thick ascending limb of loop of Henle
Distal convoluted tubule
Collecting tubule

Question 11

What are the two different types of nephron?

Answer 11

Superficial nephrons: much shorter doesnt descend deep into medulla
Juxta-medullary: much longer, goes deeper into medulla, water reabsorption is much more effective

Question 12

Blood supply and drainage of the kidney

Answer 12

Arterial blood supply:
- renal artery branches from abdominal aorta (typically behind renal vein)
- arterial blood enters in renal artery
- renal artery branches into interlobar arteries
- interlobar arteries split into cortical vessel (supply cortex)
- arcute blood vessels stem from cortical vessels
Venous drainage:
- arcute blood vessels drain back into renal vein
- Renal veins drain into inferior vena cava
- left renal vein much longer and crosses abdnominal aorta, whilst right doesnt

Question 13

What is the adrenal gland?
What is its blood supply?

Answer 13

An endocrine gland
Up to 60 small arteries comming of ranel artery to supply gland
Superior suprarenal artery –> inferior phrenic artery
Mid. Suprarenal artery –> abdominal aorta
Inferior Suprarenal artery –> renal artery

Question 14

Function of ureters

Answer 14

Transports urine from kidney to urinary bladder pristalsis

Question 15

Draw and label a diagram of the bladder

Answer 15

Bladder wall
Trigone
Ureteric meatus (L & R) - where ureters enter
Bladder neck
Urethra

Question 16

Structure of the bladder wall:

Answer 16

From inside out:
- Transitional epithelium
- Lamina propria
- Submucosa
- Detrusor muscle: orientated in many directions to aid with contraction and relaxion/ expansion

Question 17

Why are the male gonads/ testes external?

Answer 17

Temperature sensitive, helps maintain slightly lower temperature than remainder of body

Question 18

What is the vas deferens?

Answer 18

Spermatic cord which connects testes and urethra
Prostate and other glands contribute to ejaculate

Question 19

What are the different layers of the testes? (from inside out)

Answer 19

• Tunica albuginea: coat of testes
• Visceral layer of tunica vaginalis
• Parietal layer of tunica vaginalis
• Internal spermatic fascia
• Cremaster muscle (controls if testes are lower down or higher up, contraction raises testis increasing temperature of sperm) and fascia
• External spermatic fascia
• Superficial fascia
• Skin of scrotum

Question 20

What do the testes secrete?

Answer 20

Exocrine glands: sperm cells
Endocrine glands: testosterone

Question 21

What is the route of the sperm through the testes?

Answer 21

1. Seminiferous tubules: produces sperm
2. Straight tubules
3. Rete testes: stored temporarily
4. Efferent ductules
5. Epididymis: sperm mature here

Question 22

What are the 3 sections of the male urethra?

Answer 22

Prostatic: uvula of bladder –> urethral crest (prevents sperm entering urine) –> prostatic urtricle (where vagina could have developed) –> internal urethral sphincter (under involuntary control)

Membrane: external urethral sphincter (under voluntary control), contains bulbourethral glands that secerte glycoproteins in mucous during sexual arousal (these lubricate urethra and penis, remove dead cells, remove acidity)

Pendulous/ penile section: final external part

Question 23

Where is the prostate? What is its function?

Answer 23

Below the urinary bladder but above external urethral sphincter
Produces protein enzymes, maintains semen in fluid state and prevents clotting