urinary system (anatomy) Flashcards
structures of the urinary system?
kidneys, bladder, ureters, urethra
functions of the urinary system?
- filter blood (to produce urine)
- excretion of metabolic waste products and water soluble toxins
- maintains fluid balance (regulates BP and blood volume)
- maintains blood pH
what are the kidneys?
paired and about the size of a soap bar, retroperitoneal (T12-L3 on dorsal surface)
kidneys are surrounded by? (3 layers)
- fibrous capsule (collagen on surface)
- adipose capsule (cushions surface)
- renal fascia (dense c.t, anchors kidney to muscle and dorsal wall of abdominopelvic cavity)
3 regions of the kidney?
cortex, medulla, sinus
urine drainage flow?
collecting ducts, minor calyx, major calyx, renal pelvis, ureter, urinary bladder, urethra
microscopic anatomy of the kidney?
functional unit= nephrons
- around 1.25 million in the kidneys
- glomerulus (capillaries) and capsule
functions of the nephron (3)
- filtration (filtrate of blood pushed across glomerulus to glomerular capsule)
- reabsorption (movement of useful molecules from tubules back- so not lost in urine)
3 secretion (transport of undesirable molecules-so they can be excreted in urine, from blood into tubules)
materials are exchanged between nephron loops/tubules and a system of?
capillaries- peritubular capillaries (around PCT and DCT) and vasa recta (around loops of nephron)
what are the ureters?
convey urine from kidneys to the bladder
-lined in transitional epithelium and layer of smooth muscle
urinary bladder function?
store urine (500mL)
3 layers of the urinary bladder?
- mucosa= transitional epithelium forms rugae and stretches
- submucosa (connective c.t)
- muscularis (circular and longitudinal layers of smooth muscle form powerful detrusor muscle- expels urine)
urethra function?
drains bladder (shorter in females than males) -controls micturation (urination)
2 urethral sphincters?
- internal (smooth muscle prevents leakage)
2. external (skeletal muscle voluntary control)
micturition reflex.. explain
bladder fills, stretch receptors, sacral nerves— reflexive contraction of detrusor muscle— relaxation of internal urethral sphincter