The Urinary System of Humans

Q1: What is urinary system? Write names of different parts of human urinary system.

Ans: Urinary System of Human:

Excretory system of human is also called the urinary system that

is responsible for production and excretion of urine.
Parts of Urinary System:

It consists of:

i. Pair of kidneys (Kidneys filter blood to produce urine)

ii. Pair of ureters (Ureters are tubes that carry urine from kidney to urinary bladder)
iii. Urinary bladder (Urinary bladder is a sac-like organ where urine is stored temporarily
until it is released from body).
iv. Urethra (Urethra is the tube that carries urine from urinary bladder to the outside of
body).

Q2: What do you know about the color, shape, size and weight of kidney?

Ans: Kidneys are dark-red, bean shaped organs. Each kidney is 10cm long, 5cm wide and 4cm
thick. Each kidney weighs about 127 grams.

Q3: Where are kidneys located inside body of human?

Ans: Location of Kidneys in human body:

Kidney is placed against the back wall of abdominal cavity just

below diaphragm, one on either side of vertebral column and protected by last two ribs.
The concave side of kidney faces vertebral column. The left kidney is a little higher than the
right.
Q4: What is Hilus?

Ans: Hilus:

It is a depression near the centre of the concave are of kidney. It is area of kidney
through which ureter leaves kidney and other structures including blood vessels, lymphatic
vessels and nerves enter or leave kidney.
 Internal Structure of Kidney or Anatomy of Kidney

Q5: Differentiate between renal cortex and renal medulla.

Ans: Longitudinal Section of Kidney:

The longitudinal section of the kidney shows two regions:

i. Renal Cortex
ii. Renal Medulla

Renal Cortex Renal Medulla

It is the outer part of kidney. It is the inner part of kidney.
It is dark red in color. It is pale red in color.

Q6: What are renal pyramids?

Ans: Renal Pyramids:

Renal medulla (the inner part of kidney) consists of several cone shaped
structures that project into renal pelvis called renal pyramids.

Q7: What is renal pelvis?

Ans: Renal Pelvis:

Renal pelvis is funnel shaped cavity and base of ureters.

 Nephron

Q1: What is nephron?

Ans: Nephron:

The functional unit of kidneys is called nephron. There are over one million
nephrons in each kidney.

Q2: How many parts of nephron?

Ans: Parts of nephron:

There are two parts of nephron:

i. Renal Corpuscle (non-tubular part of nephron)

ii. Renal tubule (tubular part of nephron)

Q3: What is renal corpuscle?

Ans: Renal Corpuscle:

Renal corpuscle is non-tubular part of nephron. It has two parts:

i. Glomerulus (network of capillaries)

ii. Bowman’s Capsule ( cup-shaped structure that encloses glomerulus)

Q4: What do you know about the structure of glomerulus?

Ans: Structure of glomerulus:

It is a network of capillaries that is enclosed by Bowman’s capsule.

Q5: What do you know about the structure of Bowman’s capsule?

Ans: Structure of Bowman’s capsule:

It is cup-shaped structure that encloses glomerulus.

Q6: Briefly explain the structure of renal tubule.

Ans: Structure of Renal Tubule:

It’s the tubular part of nephron and starts after Bowman’s

capsule. It is subdivided into following parts:

i. Proximal convoluted tubule (first portion of renal tubule)

 ii. Loop of Henle (U-shaped part that consists of two limbs: Descending limb & Ascending
limb)
iii. Distal convoluted tubule (last portion of renal tubule)
iv. Collecting duct (distal convoluted tubules of many nephrons open into it).

Q7: What are papillary ducts?

Ans: Papillary ducts:

Many collecting ducts join together to form several hundred papillary

ducts which drain into renal pelvis (base of ureters).