Urinary System Flashcards
What does the urinary system do?
- filters blood and dispose some waste byproducts of metabolic reactions in human body
- plays major role in fluid and electrolyte balance
What does the urinary system consist of? (4)
kidneys
ureters
urinary bladder
urethra
Kidneys
Where are the kidneys?
behind peritoneum at either side of vertebral column at level of vertebrae TXII-LIII
Kidneys
Compare the right and left kidneys.
right kidney is slightly lower than left kidney due to presence of liver
Kidneys
How many surfaces, borders, and poles do the kidneys have?
- 2 surfaces (anterior and posterior)
- 2 borders (medial and lateral)
- 2 poles (superior and inferior)
Kidneys
What is the anterior surface of the right kidney related to?
mainly related to liver, right colic flexure (hepatic flexure), and duodenum
Kidneys
What is the anterior surface of the left kidney related to?
mainly related to spleen, pancreas, left colic flexure (splenic flexure), and stomach
Kidneys
What is the posterior surface related to?
diaphragm, psoas major, quadratus lumborum, and transversus abdominis muscles
Kidneys
What nerves pass between kidneys and muscles on the posterior surface of the kidney? (3)
subcostal
iliohypogastric
ilioinguinal
Kidneys
What is the upper part of the left side posterior surface related to?
What is the upper part of the right side posterior surface related to?
left: ribs 11 and 12
right: rib 12
Kidneys
What is the shape of the lateral border?
convex
Kidneys
What is the shape of the medial border?
concave
Kidneys
What does the medial border house?
renal hilum
Kidneys
What is the renal hilum?
entrance to renal sinus
Kidneys
What is the renal sinus?
space that contains renal vein, renal artery, renal pelvis, lymphatics, nerve fibers, and fat
Kidneys
Where is the superior pole?
inclined towards vertebral column
Kidneys
Where is the inferior pole?
farther from vertebral column
Kidneys
What is the superior pole capped by?
suprarenal (adrenal) gland
Coverings of the Kidney
What are the 4 distinct layers of fascia and fat?
- fibrous capsule
- perirenal (perinephric) fat
- renal fascia
- pararenal (paranephric) fat
Coverings of the Kidney
What do the coverings of the kidney do?
provide mechanical protection or thermal insulation for kidneys, or anchor them in place
Coverings of the Kidney
Where is the fibrous capsule?
intimately attached to kidney, and partially extends into interior of renal hilum to line the renal sinus
Coverings of the Kidney
What does perirenal (perinephric) fat do?
invests kidney outside fibrous capsule
Coverings of the Kidney
What does renal fascia do?
separates surrounds kidney and suprarenal (adrenal) gland and associated perineal fat
- continuous inferiorly, and blends with fascia surrounding ureter
- continuous medially with connective tissue surrounding renal vessels
Coverings of the Kidney
Where is pararenal (paranephric) fat?
What does it do?
located behind kidney and cushions it
Internal Features of the Kidney
What can you see in a frontal/coronal section?
inner region
medulla
cortex (outer region)
Internal Features of the Kidney
What does the medulla consist of?
8-18 renal pyramids (conical or triangular structures)
- ## base of each pyramid faces cortex
Internal Features of the Kidney
What is the renal papilla?
apex of the medulla that points towards renal hilum
Internal Features of the Kidney
What is the cortex bounded by?
between renal capsule and renal pyramids
Internal Features of the Kidney
Where is the cortex?
extends between renal pyramids to form renal columns
Internal Features of the Kidney
What does the renal lobe consist of? (3)
- renal pyramid
- renal cortex
- half of adjacent renal column
Internal Features of the Kidney
What occurs in renal lobes?
production of urine
Internal Features of the Kidney
Where are microscope ducts?
What do they do?
within each renal papilla
drain urine into minor calyx (cup-shaped space)
Internal Features of the Kidney
What forms the major calyx?
every 3-4 minor calyces come together
Internal Features of the Kidney
What forms the renal pelvis?
all major calyces join
Internal Features of the Kidney
What is the renal pelvis?
funnel-shaped structure that occupies most of renal sinus and continues as ureter after hilum of kidney
Ureter
What is the ureter?
muscular tube that starts from renal pelvis and ends at urinary bladder
Ureter
Where does the ureter pass?
passes behind peritoneum, in front of psoas major muscle, crosses common iliac artery to enter true pelvis
Ureter
What is the pelvic part of the ureter crossed by?
ductus deferens in male
uterine artery in female
Ureter
How many constrictions are there?
What are constrictions?
3
potential sites for obstruction by kidney stones
Ureter
What are the 3 constrictions?
Where are they?
first narrowing: at junction of ureter and renal pelvis
second narrowing: where ureter passes over common iliac artery
third narrowing: at entrance to urinary bladder
Ureter
How does the ureter pass through bladder wall?
at oblique angle
Ureter
What happens as urinary bladder fills with urine?
pressure within it compresses opening of ureters and prevents backflow of urine
Urinary Bladder
What is the urinary bladder?
hollow muscular organ saturated in true pelvis (when empty) behind pubic symphysis
Urinary Bladder
Where is the urinary bladder?
male: in front of rectum
female: in front of uterus and vagina
Urinary Bladder
Describe the structure of the urinary bladder when empty.
3-sided pyramidal structure with
- 3 surfaces (superior, right inferolateral, and left inferolateral)
- base
- apex
- neck
Urinary Bladder
What is the superior surface covered by?
What is it related to?
covered by peritoneum
related to sigmoid colon (in males), uterus (in females), and coils of small intestine
Urinary Bladder
Describe the peritoneum on the superior surface in males.
peritoneum covering superior surface of urinary bladder reflects on anterior surface of rectum and forms peritoneal pouch (rectovesical pouch)
Urinary Bladder
Describe the peritoneum on the superior surface in females.
peritoneal layer reflects to cover body of uterus to form uterovesical pouches
then reflects on anterior surface of rectum to form rectouterine pouches
Urinary Bladder
What are inferolateral surfaces related to?
muscles of pelvic wall and pelvic diaphragm
Urinary Bladder
What is the shape of the base (fundus)?
triangular
Urinary Bladder
What does the base (fundus) receive?
receives ureters at its superolateral angles
Urinary Bladder
What does the base (fundus) give rise to?
gives rise to urethra at its inferior angle
Urinary Bladder
What is the base (fundus) related to?
male: ductus deferens, seminal vesicles, and rectum
female: uterus and vagina
Urinary Bladder
Where is the apex?
What is the apex connected to?
behind pubic symphysis
connected to umbilicus by median umbilical ligament
Urinary Bladder
What is the neck?
most inferior part of urinary bladder
Urinary Bladder
What is the neck related to?
male: prostate gland
female: external urethral sphincter
Urinary Bladder
What is the trigone?
smooth inverted triangular area formed when mucosal membrane lining the interior of urinary bladder is thrown into folds (except on base)
Urinary Bladder
Where do ureters open?
at superior angles of trigon
Urinary Bladder
What is located at inferior angle of the trigone?
internal urethral sphincter surrounding internal urethral orifice
Urethra
What is the urethra?
muscular tube that starts from neck of urinary bladder and opens to exterior at external urethral orifice
Urethra - Male
What are the 4 parts?
- preprostatic (intramural) urethra
- prostatic urethra
- membranous urethra
- spongy (penile) urethra
Urethra - Male
Where is the preprostatic (intramural) urethra?
starts from internal urethral orifice, and passes through neck of urinary bladder
Urethra - Male
What surrounds preprostatic (intramural) urethra?
involuntary internal urethral sphincter
Urethra - Male
What is the prostatic urethra?
widest part of urethra that passes through prostate gland
Urethra - Male
What opens to prostatic urethra?
prostatic and ejaculatory ducts
Urethra - Male
What is the membranous urethra?
narrowest and shortest part of urethra that passes through anterior part of pelvic floor
Urethra - Male
What is the membranous urethra surrounded by?
voluntary external urethral sphincter
Urethra - Male
What is the spongy (penile) urethra?
longest part of urethra that passes through bulb and corpus spongiosum of penis, and ends as external urethral orifice
Urethra - Male
What are bulbourethral glands?
part of male reproductive system
opens into the spongy urethra
Urethra - Female
Where does it start and end?
start: internal urethral orifice at neck of urinary bladder
end: as external urethral orifice to the exterior below clitoris at vestibule
Urethra - Female
Where does it pass?
descends in front of vagina and passes through anterior part of pelvic floor, where it is surrounded by voluntary external urethral sphincter
What does the renal artery supply?
kidney and upper part of ureter
What do branches of internal iliac artery supply?
lower part of ureter, urinary bladder, and urethra
Where are renal plexuses?
What do they do?
surround renal arteries
innervate kidneys and upper part of ureters
What is sympathetic input to renal plexuses provided by?
lesser, least, and lumbar splanchnic nerves
What is parasympathetic input to renal plexuses provided by?
CN X (vagus nerve)
What do inferior hypogastric plexuses do?
innervate urinary bladder and urethra
What 2 plexuses innervate the urinary system?
- renal plexuses
- inferior hypogastric plexuses
What is sympathetic input to inferior hypogastric plexuses provided by?
lumbar and sacral splanchnic nerves
What is parasympathetic input to inferior hypogastric plexuses provided by?
pelvic splanchnic nerves
