The Urinary & Reproductive Systems Flashcards

1
Q

Describe the location of the kidneys.

A

The two kidneys lie retroperitonially (behind the peritoneum) on the posterior body wall.
There is one on each side of the vertebral column at the level of T12 to L3 vertebrae.

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2
Q

Which ribs partially protect the kidneys?

A

Ribs 11-12.

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3
Q

Describe the colour, shape and size of the kidneys.

A

The kidneys are red brown, and oval in shape.

Roughly 10 cm long, 5 cm wide and 2.5 cm thick.

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4
Q

The kidneys are related superiorly to the ___1___ which also acts to separate them from the ___2___ cavities and 12th ribs.

A
  1. Diaphragm

2. Pleural

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5
Q

Describe the functions of the kidneys.

A
  • The kidneys filter the blood, removing waste products and producing urine.
  • They also play a major role in controlling water volume and ion concentrations and in maintaining the acid/base balance of the blood.
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6
Q

The outer layer of tissue in the kidney is the ___1___.
The inner layer of tissue in the kidney is the ___2___.
Urine leaves the kidney through the ___3___.
At the point where the ___3___ meets the kidney a funnel called the ____ 4 ____ Is formed.

A
  1. Cortex
  2. Medulla
  3. Ureter
  4. Renal pelvis
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7
Q

___1___ in the cortex and medulla filter waste products from the blood, forming ___2___.
The pyramids of the cortex drain this into the minor ___3___.
2-3 minor ___3___ drain into each of the 2-3 major ___3___.
The major ___3___ drain into the renal pelvis, which empties through the ureters into the ___4___.

A
  1. Nephrons
  2. Urine
  3. Calyces
  4. Bladder
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8
Q

What is the right kidney related anteriorly to?

A
  • Right suprarenal gland
  • Liver
  • Duodenum
  • Ascending colon
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9
Q

What is the left kidney related anteriorly to?

A
  • Left suprarenal gland
  • Stomach
  • Spleen
  • Pancreas
  • Jejunum
  • Descending colon
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10
Q

What is the functional unit of the kidneys?

A

The nephron.

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11
Q

Blood entering the kidneys for filtration passes through knots of capillaries called what?

A

Glomeruli.

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12
Q

What are the glomeruli contained within?

A

Bowman’s capsule.

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13
Q

In the Bowman’s capsule almost all of the constituents of plasma are filtered out of the blood, with the notable exception of large molecular weight proteins >?

A

64kDa.

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14
Q

In the nephron what particular products are removed and what useful molecules are reabsorbed?

A

Removed - Water and waste

Reabsorbed - Glucose and ions

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15
Q

In which part of the nephron are glucose and ions reabsorbed?

A

The proximal convoluted tubule.

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16
Q

In which part of the nephron is water reabsorbed?

A

The loop of Henle.

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17
Q

What happens in the distal convoluted tubule of the nephron?

A

Any waste products that were not filtered out in the Bowman’s capsule are secreted into the lumen of the nephron.

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18
Q

Where in the kidney do the proximal and distal tubules sit?

A

The cortex.

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19
Q

Where in the kidneys does the loop of Henle pass through?

A

The medulla.

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20
Q

What happens in the collecting duct of the nephron?

A

Water and ions are reabsorbed into the blood.

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21
Q

Which part of the nephron determines the volume of urine produced?

A

It is reabsorption in the collecting duct that controls the volume of urine produced. The amount of water reabsorbed at the other sites remains constant.

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22
Q

Where is antidiuretic hormone (ADH) released from and what is its effect?

A

ADH is released from the posterior pituitary gland. ADH makes the collecting duct more water permeable allowing reabsorption of water.

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23
Q

What are the renal arteries and where do they arise from?

A

The renal arteries are two large branches of the abdominal aorta that arise just below the level of L1.

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24
Q

What do the renal arteries divide into and what do these feed?

A

Afferent arterioles which feed into the glomeruli.

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25
Q

Where do efferent arterioles of the kidney run?

A

Efferent arterioles run from the glomeruli and wrap around the nephron.

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26
Q

What are the efferent arterioles that wrap around the loop of Henle called?

A

The vasa recta.

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27
Q

What do the vasa recta drain into? Which empties into what?

A

The vasa recta drain into the renal veins which empty into the inferior vena cava.

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28
Q

What are the left and right ureters?

A

The left and right ureters are two muscular tubes that empty urine from their respective kidneys and carry it to the urinary bladder.

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29
Q

Describe the structure and function of the walls of the ureters.

A

Their walls consist of three layers of smooth muscle fibres that spiral around the tube and aid peristaltic contractions that force urine into the bladder.

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30
Q

The right and left ureters descend from the ___1___, behind the peritoneum, to enter the ___2___.
Their entrances to the bladder runs obliquely through the muscle of the bladder wall. When the bladder is full or contracting, these act as ___3___ and prevent ____ 4 ____ into the ureters.

A
  1. Kidneys
  2. Pelvis
  3. Valves
  4. Urinary reflux
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31
Q

What, simply, is the bladder?

A

A temporary reservoir for urine.

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32
Q

True or false? The bladder can vary in size, shape, relations and position according to its content and the state of neighbouring viscera.

A

True.

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33
Q

What is the minimum amount of urine the bladder can contain?

A

~50ml.

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34
Q

Describe the location of the bladder in adults.

Describe both empty and full states.

A

In adults the empty bladder sits in the lesser pelvis inferior to the peritoneum. When full, it extends superiorly in the extraperitoneal fat of the anterior body wall.

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35
Q

Describe the location of the bladder in children younger than six.

A

In infants and children younger than six the bladder sits in the abdomen, even when empty.

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36
Q

Name the 3 layers of smooth muscle in the wall of the bladder. What do they form?

A

Internal, middle and external smooth muscle layer. These form the detrusor muscle.

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37
Q

Describe the smooth muscle alignment of the bladder wall.

A

The fibres of the internal and external layers are in a similar longitudinal directional alignment. The middle layer is aligned in a roughly circular direction.

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38
Q

Bladder musculature is a distorted continuation of the three layers of spiral smooth muscle that surround the what?

A

Ureters.

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39
Q

On the posterior wall of the bladder, between the ureteric ___1___, there is a smooth triangular area, the ___2___. This is in contrast to the ___3___ (ridges) that line the majority of the empty bladder, flattening out as the bladder fills.

A
  1. Orifices
  2. Trigone
  3. Rugae
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40
Q

The urinary system from the renal pelvis to the ___1___ is lined with a specialised epithelium, transitional epithelium or ___2___.

These cells have the ability to stretch, shift over one another and ___3___. The epithelium of a distended bladder may appear only two to three cells thick where as in an empty bladder it is usually five to ___4___ cells thick.

Non-distended ___2___ has a cuboidal basal layer, ___5___ celled middle layers and tall columnar cells in the surface layer.

A
  1. Urethra
  2. Urothelium
  3. Flatten
  4. Six
  5. Polygonal
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41
Q

What is found at the junction between the bladder and the urethra?

A

A smooth muscle sphincter known as the internal urethral sphincter.

42
Q

Which nervous system controls the internal urethral sphincter?

A

The autonomic nervous system.

43
Q

The urethra is a continuation of the smooth muscle of the bladder but it also contains a skeletal muscle sphincter known as what?

A

The external urethral sphincter.

44
Q

True or false? The external urethral sphincter is not under voluntary control.

A

False. The external urethral sphincter is under voluntary control.

45
Q

What is the urethra?

A

The urethra is a muscular-walled tube through which urine is expelled from the bladder during urination.

46
Q

How does the size and shape of the urethra differ between male and females?

A

In females the urethra is short and straight, in males it is longer.

47
Q

Why is the incidence rate of urinary tract infections higher in females?

A

Due to the shorter length of the female urethra and its proximity to the anus.

48
Q

What does the female reproductive system consist of?

A
  • The vagina
  • The uterus
  • The uterine (fallopian) tubes
  • The ovaries
49
Q

Where are the female reproductive organs located?

A

Lesser pelvis.

50
Q

What is the vagina?

A

The vagina is a musculo-membranous tube that connects the uterus to the external genitalia.

51
Q

The superior end of the vagina surrounds the ___1___. The inferior end opens in the vestibule, between the labia ___2___.
It is normally collapsed, with the anterior and posterior walls in contact, except at the superior end where they are held apart by the ___1___.

A
  1. Cervix

2. Minora

52
Q

The vagina recesses around the cervix, forming the what?

A

Vaginal fornix.

53
Q

Describe what the vagina is spatially related to.

A
  • Anteriorly to the base of the bladder and the urethra
  • Laterally to pelvic muscles, fascia and the ureters
  • Posteriorly to the anal canal, rectum and rectouterine pouch
54
Q

In simple terms, what is the cervix?

A

The cervix is the opening to the uterus.

55
Q

The ___1___ forms a canal from the vagina to the ___2___. Its inferior opening, in the vagina, is the external os (orifice of the ___2___). The superior opening, into the ___2___, is the internal os.

A
  1. Cervix

2. Uterus

56
Q

In the adult female, what type of epithelium is the cervical canal at the internal os?

A

Squamous.

57
Q

In the adult female, what type of epithelium is the cervical canal at the external os? Why does this differ from the internal os?

A

Stratified.

To protect itself from the acidic environment of the vagina.

58
Q

True or false? The area in the cervical canal that marks the boundary between the 2 types of epithelium is predisposed to cancerous changes.

A

True.

59
Q

Describe the shape, structure, location and function of the uterus.

A

The uterus is a muscular, pear shaped organ that sits in the lesser pelvis and is the site of implantation and growth of a gamete.

60
Q

Name the 3 layers of the uterus wall.

A
  • Perimetrium
  • Myometrium
  • Endometrium
61
Q

The uterus is normally ___1___, tipped anteriorly relative to the vagina, and ___2___, the body of the uterus is flexed anteriorly relative to the cervix.

A
  1. Anteverted

2. Anteflexed

62
Q

Describe the size of the uterus.

A

In the non-pregnant female the uterus is approximately 7.5 cm long, 5cm broad and 2 cm thick. It can enlarge considerably during pregnancy.

63
Q

Name the 2 main parts of the uterus. Also list any constituent parts of the main parts. Describe all.

A

The Body, the upper 2/3 of the uterus, has two divisions:
Fundus – the rounded ‘roof’ of the uterus, superior to the entrance of the uterine tubes.
Isthmus – the relatively narrow part (in the non-pregnant) superior to the cervix

The cervix – the cylindrical canal that projects into the vagina.

64
Q

Describe the Perimetrium of the uterus.

A

This outer layer consists of a thin layer of connective tissue.

65
Q

The uterine tubes extend laterally from the ___1___, ending in finger-like ___2___ that waft released ___3___ into the open end of the tube.
Cilia line the tubes and aid the movement of ___3___ into the ___1___.
___4___ usually occurs in the uterine tubes and a small amount of cell division takes place during the journey from the tubes to implantation in the ___1___.

A
  1. Uterus
  2. Fimbrae
  3. Ova
  4. Fertilisation
66
Q

There is ___1___ direct connection between the uterine tubes and the ovaries. The uterus sits below the ___2___ and the uterine tubes pass through this tissue layer and open into the peritoneal cavity, a small distance from the ovaries.
Therefore, there is ___3___ direct passage from the peritoneal cavity to the external environment at the opening of the ___4___.

A
  1. No
  2. Peritoneum
  3. A
  4. Vagina
67
Q

As a dense structure in the middle of the pelvic cavity, the ___1___ has no skeletal support. It relies on muscles, such as the ___2___ floor muscles, and connective tissues, like the ___3___ ligaments, to maintain its position.

A
  1. Uterus
  2. Pelvic
  3. Uterosacral
68
Q

What do the uterine (fallopian) tubes connect?

A

The uterus to the ovaries.

69
Q

True or false? There is a direct connection between the uterine tubes and the ovaries.

A

False. There is no direct connection between the uterine tubes and the ovaries.

70
Q

Describe the shape and location of the ovaries.

A

The ovaries are almond-shaped glands located close to the lateral pelvic walls, within the peritoneum.

71
Q

What are the functions of the ovaries?

A

The ovaries are the site of ovum release and also the production and release of the female sex hormones oestrogen and progesterone.

72
Q

Millions of ova are present at birth. They ___1___ over time and run out by the time of ___2___, when the ovaries atrophy.

A
  1. Degenerate

2. Menopause

73
Q

List the structures of the male reproductive system.

A
  • The testes
  • The epididymides (plural of epididymis)
  • The ductus deferentes (p. of ductus deferens)
  • The seminal vesicles
  • The ejaculatory ducts
  • The prostate
  • The bulbourethral glands
74
Q

Where are the structures of the male reproductive system located?

A

The testes sit outside the body in the scrotum. The other components sit within the lesser pelvis.

75
Q

Describe the structure of the testes.

A

The testes are firm, mobile, ovoid organs that are suspended in the scrotum by the spermatic cord.

76
Q

What is the first covering of the testes?

A

They are covered by a fibrous coat, the tunica albuginea.

77
Q

What are the functions of the testes?

A

Their function is to produce sperm and hormones, principally testosterone.

78
Q

Internally, each testis is divided into ___1___ by fibrous septa.
Coiled ___2___ tubules lie within the ___1___.
The tubules open into a network of channels, the rete testis.
Efferent ductules join the rete testes to the ___3___.

A
  1. Lobules
  2. Seminiferous
  3. Epididymis
79
Q

The tunica vaginalis, a double layer of connective tissue, is a closed ___1___ sac.

The visceral layer is closely applied to the , ___2___, epididymis, and the inferior part of the ductus deferens.

The ___3___ layer extends further superiorly than the visceral layer and reaches into the distal ___4___ cord.

A small amount of fluid in the cavity between the two layers reduces ___5___ and allows the ___2___ to move freely.

A
  1. Peritoneal
  2. Testis
  3. Parietal
  4. Spermatic
  5. Friction
80
Q

What is the epididymis and where is it located?

A

A long coiled tube that lies posterior to the testes, it is so tightly compacted that it appears solid.

81
Q

True or false? The diameter of the tube increases from the head of the epididymis at the superior end of the testis to the tail of the epididymis.

A

False. The diameter decreases.

82
Q

True or false? The tail of the epididymis is continuous with the vas deferens that passes into the spermatic cord.

A

True.

83
Q

What are the functions of the epididymis?

A

The length of the epididymis acts as storage and a maturation site for spermatazoa.

84
Q

What does the spermatic cord do and simply, what does it contain?

A

The spermatic cord suspends the testis in the scrotum and contains structures running to and from the testis.

85
Q

What does the spermatic cord consist of?

A
  • The vas deferens, carrying sperm
  • Blood vessels, supplying and draining testicular blood
  • Sympathetic and somatic nerves
  • Lymphatic vessels
86
Q

What are the 3 coverings of the spermatic cord?

A
  • Internal spermatic fascia
  • Cremasteric fascia
  • External spermatic fascia

These layers are all derived from connective tissue of the abdominal muscles.

87
Q

The vas deferens is the continuation of what?

A

The epididymis.

88
Q

Where does the vas deferens travel?

A

It ascends in the spermatic cord into the abdominal cavity, loops over the ureter on its respective side and descends posterior to the urinary bladder.

89
Q

The vas deferens combines with the duct of the seminal vesicle to form what?

A

The ejaculatory duct.

90
Q

Describe what the seminal vesicles are, their size, and where they are located.

A

The seminal vesicles are obliquely placed elongated glands, about 5cm long.
They lie between the superior part of the bladder and the rectum, inferior to the peritoneum.

91
Q

Do the seminal vesicles store sperm? If not, what do they do instead?

A

They do not store sperm but secrete an alkaline fluid that mixes with the sperm as they pass into the ejaculatory ducts.

92
Q

The ___1___ ducts are short tubes that arise from the combination of the ____ 2 ____ with the ducts of the seminal vesicles.

They arise near the neck of the bladder and pass through the posterior part of the ___3___.

They open into the urethra within the ___3___.

A
  1. Ejaculatory
  2. Vas deferens
  3. Prostate
93
Q

How long are the ejaculatory ducts?

A

2.5cm.

94
Q

How long is the prostate gland?

A

~3cm.

95
Q

What is the largest accessory gland of the male reproductive system?

A

The prostate gland.

96
Q

Describe the base, anterior surface and posterior surface of the prostate gland.

A

The base of the prostate is closely related to the neck of the bladder.

The anterior surface consists of muscle fibres that are continuous with the urethral sphincter, and is deep to the pubic symphisis.

The posterior surface is closely related to the rectum.

97
Q

Describe prostatic fluid.

A

Prostatic fluid is thin and milky and supplies 20-25% of the volume of semen. Sperm is only 1% of the volume of semen.

98
Q

The prostatic ducts open into the region of the ___1___ that lies within the prostate, the prostatic ___1___.

A
  1. Urethra
99
Q

How is prostatic fluid suited to its job of being released in the ejaculate?

A

The slightly acidic secretions aid mobility of the sperm and facilitate coagulation of the semen just before ejaculation. Coagulated semen adheres better to the inside of the female reproductive tract.

100
Q

Where are the bulbourethral glands located?

A

The bulbourethral glands lie immediately inferior to the prostate gland.

101
Q

Describe the secretion from the bulbourethral glands.

A

The secretion is transparent and viscous. It adds some volume to semen but also acts as a lubricant.

102
Q

The ___1___ of the bulbourethral glands open into the urethra soon after the ___2___ urethral sphincter.

A
  1. Ducts

2. External