MT M 6.6 Urinary System Anatomy and Physiology Review Flashcards
urinary system
The kidneys, bladder, ureters, and urethra are the main structures in the urinary system
kidneys
he body has two kidneys, one on either side of the spine behind the abdominal cavity. The kidneys are vital organs that filter waste products out of the bloodstream.
The kidneys are protected by three layers of tissue.
renal capsule
kidneys are protected by three layers of tissue
The renal capsule is a membrane that covers the surface of the kidneys;
perirenal fat
kidneys are protected by three layers of tissue
the next layer is perirenal fat that cushions the kidneys;
renal fascia
kidneys are protected by three layers of tissue
the third layer is the renal fascia that anchors the kidneys in their normal position within the abdominal cavity.
hilum
The renal artery, renal vein, nerves, lymphatic vessels, and ureter enter the kidney at the hilum. The hilum is a notch on the medial side of the organ.
Nephrons
Inside the kidney
Inside the kidney, there are millions of nephrons. Nephrons are the structural and functional units of the kidney. These structures filter the blood, reabsorb needed components back into the blood, and regulate the normal fluid balance within the body.
Bowman’s capsule
Nephrons begin with
Nephrons begin with Bowman’s capsule, which is a sac-like structure around a capillary bed that filters the blood to form urine. This is also called the glomerulus.
Connected to Bowman’s capsule
Connected to Bowman’s capsule is a tubule that consists of the proximal convoluted portion, the loop of Henle, and a distal convoluted portion. This tubule then connects to a collecting tubule that collects the waste from the blood, now called urine, to send to the ureter for excretion.
glomerular filtration
In Bowman’s capsule, water and waste products such as urea, uric acid, creatinine, sodium chloride, and potassium leave the blood and enter the proximal convoluted tubule. This is called glomerular filtration. The tubule runs along a capillary and the contents of the filtrate within the tubule are refined. Proteins, glucose, water, and ions are reabsorbed back into the blood and additional waste products leave the blood and enter the filtrate.
ureter
The waste products pulled from the bloodstream leave the kidney through the ureter. Each kidney has a ureter. The ureter is a long, narrow tube that travels from the kidney to the bladder.
urinary bladder
The urinary bladder collects the urine from both kidneys and stores it until it is time to excrete the urine from the body. It is a muscular sac that can expand to hold more urine.
urethra
The urethra is a tube that carries the urine from the bladder to the outside of the body.
urinary meatus
The external opening of the urethra is called the urinary meatus
male and female urethras
The male and female urethras are different. The male urethra is much longer, 8 inches long, and carries both urine and semen out of the body. The female urethra is shorter, 1.5 inches long, and only carries urine out of the body.
