Urinary System Flashcards
What is the renal hilus?
The area where the ureter leaves the kidney as do blood vessels, lymph vessels, and nerves.
It serves as the entry and exit point for these structures.
What are the components of the kidney’s internal structure?
Renal cortex and renal medulla.
The renal medulla is formed into renal pyramids.
What is the parenchyma of the kidney?
It contains about one million nephrons.
Nephrons are the functional units of the kidney.
What is the function of nephrons?
They are the functional units of the kidney responsible for urine formation.
Urine drains from collecting tubules into the ureter.
What are the two types of nephrons?
Cortical and juxtamedullary.
Each type has distinct functions and structures.
What does the terminal end of a nephron form?
Bowman’s capsule.
The wall of Bowman’s capsule is indented, forming a double wall chamber.
What is the glomerulus?
A network of capillaries within Bowman’s capsule.
Together, they form the renal corpuscle.
What is the length of ureters?
25-30 cm long.
Ureters extend from the renal pelvis to the bladder.
What aids in the movement of urine through the ureters?
Peristaltic waves from smooth muscle contractions.
This muscular action is essential for urine transport.
What is the bladder?
A hollow, distensible muscular organ that can hold 700-800mL.
Its positioning varies between males and females.
Where is the bladder located in males?
Directly anterior to the rectum.
In females, it is anterior to the vagina and inferior to the uterus.
What forms the internal urinary sphincter?
Smooth muscle at the junction of bladder and urethra.
This sphincter plays a role in urinary control.
What is the muscularis of the bladder also known as?
Detrusor muscle.
This muscle is responsible for bladder contraction.
What triggers the micturition reflex?
The filling of the bladder leading to urination.
This reflex is crucial for the elimination of urine.
What is the function of the urethra?
Tube leading from bladder to exterior of the body.
It differs in length between males and females.
What is the length of the female urethra?
4 cm long.
It terminates at the external urethral orifice.
What is the length of the male urethra?
15-20 cm long.
It passes through the prostate, urogenital diaphragm, and penis.
What are the three main processes of urine production?
Filtration, reabsorption, secretion.
Each process plays a crucial role in the formation of urine.
What occurs during filtration in the kidneys?
Blood flowing through glomerulus exerts pressure, pushing substances into Bowman’s capsule.
Capillaries in glomerulus have fenestrations to facilitate this process.
What is the filtration rate of the kidneys?
125 mL/min, with 90% reabsorbed.
This efficiency is vital for maintaining fluid balance.
What substances are reabsorbed during urine formation?
Water, glucose, amino acids, urea, and ions (e.g., Na+, Cl-, K+, bicarbonate).
Hormones regulate this process.
What hormones regulate water and solute reabsorption?
Angiotensin II, aldosterone, antidiuretic hormone, and atrial natriuretic peptide.
These hormones help maintain homeostasis.
What is secretion in the context of urine formation?
Process by which certain substances are moved into the urine from the blood.
Substances include H+, K+, Na+, ammonia, and certain drugs.
