Exercise 13

URINARY SYSTEM

The urinary system consists of two kidneys, two ureters, the urinary bladder, and the
urethra. The kidneys are vital in maintaining homeostasis of the body. They regulate blood
pressure, blood composition, and fluid volume of the body; produce urine; and maintain
acid-base balance.

Materials: Microscope
Prepared slide: Kidney, Ureter, Urinary bladder

Procedure:
A. KIDNEY
The kidney is subdivided into 2 regions: the cortex (outer) and the medulla
(inner).

The cortex is covered with dense, irregular connective tissue capsule (renal
capsule) and adipose tissues. In this region, convoluted tubules, renal corpuscles (Bowman’s
corpuscles and glomeruli), and straight tubules, interlobular arteries and veins, and medullary
rays are found. Medullary rays contain straight portions of nephrons and collecting tubules.
Medullary rays do not extend to the kidney capsule because of a narrow zone of convoluted
tubules.

The medulla consists of the renal pyramids of collecting tubules. Only straight
portions of the tubules and the segments of the loop of Henle (thick and thin descending
segments, and thin and thick ascending segments) are found in this region. The thin segments
of the loop of Henle are lined with simple squamous epithelium and resemble the capillaries
while the tubules are lined with cuboidal cells. The base of the pyramid is adjacent to the cortex
and its apex forms the renal papilla that projects into the surrounding, funnel-like structure, the
minor calyx, which represents the dilated portion of the ureter. The area cribrosa have small
holes, which are the openings of the collecting ducts into the minor calyx. The tips of the renal
papilla are covered with columnar epithelium to become transitional epithelium which merges
the connective tissue of the renal sinus. Present in the renal sinus are branches of the renal
artery and vein called the interlobar artery and the interlobar vein. These vessels enter the
kidney and arch over the base of the pyramid at the corticomedullary junction as the arcuate
artery and vein.
Examine a prepared slide of the kidney and label the following:
a. Cortex h. Cortex medullary rays
b. Medulla i. Renal pyramid
c. Renal capsule j. Medullary straight tubules
d. Convoluted tubules k. Loop of Henle
e. Renal corpuscle l. Area cribrosa
f. Glomerulus m. Adipose tissue
g. Bowman’s capsule n. Interlobular vessels (artery and vein)

B. URETER
The lumen of the ureter when undistended exhibits numerous longitudinal mucosal folds
formed by muscular contractions. Its wall is divided into 3 regions: mucosa, muscularis, and
adventitia.

The mucosa is lined with transitional epithelium and has wide lamina propria. The lamina
propria contains fibroelastic connective tissue, which is denser with more fibroblasts under the
epithelium and looser near the muscularis. Diffuse lymphatic tissue and occasional small
lymphatic nodules may be observed in the lamina propria.

The upper region of the ureter, the muscularis consists of two muscle layers, an inner
longitudinal smooth muscle layer and a middle circular smooth muscle layer; these layers are
not distinct. An additional third layer, outer longitudinal layer of smooth muscle, is found in the
lower third of the ureter near the bladder.

The adventitia blends with the surrounding fibroelastic connective tissue and adipose
tissue, which contain numerous arterioles, venules and small nerves.

Examine a prepared slide of slide of ureter (cross section) and label the following:
a. Lumen of ureter f. Circular smooth muscle layer
b. Mucosa g. Longitudinal smooth muscle layer
c. Transitional epithelium h. Adventitia
d. Lamina propria i. Adipose tissue
e. Muscularis j. Arterioles and venules

C. URINARY BLADDER
The urinary bladder is a hollow organ with a thick muscular wall. Its main function is to
store urine. Its wall is divided into 3 regions: mucosa, muscularis and adventitia.

The mucosa of an empty bladder exhibits numerous mucosal folds that disappear during
bladder distension. This region is lined with transitional epithelium thicker than in ureters and the
lamina propria is wider than in the ureters.

The muscularis region has three loosely arranged layers of smooth muscle, the inner
longitudinal, middle circular and the outer longitudinal layers. These muscle layers are arranged
in an anastomosing smooth muscle bundle between which found the interstitial connective
tissue of the serosa. Mesothelium covers the connective tissue of the serosa and is the
outermost layer. Serosa lines the superior surface of the bladder, whereas its inferior surface is
covered by the connective tissue adventitia, which merges with the connective tissue of
adjacent structures.

Examine a prepared slide of urinary bladder and label the following:

a. Lumen of the urinary bladder
b. Mucosa
c. Lamina propria
d. Muscularis
e. Inner longitudinal smooth muscle layer
f. Middle circular smooth muscle layer
g. Outer longitudinal smooth muscle layer
h. Serosa
i. Adventitia
Name: CHRYSVILLE ZAITA B. GULAY Date: MAY 28, 2022

Exercise 13: Urinary System Teacher’s signature:_________________

Drawings:
KIDNEY (MH 143) KIDNEY (MH 141a)

KIDNEY (MH 143) KIDNEY (MH 141 b)

URETER (MH 146) URETER (MHS 215)

URINARY BLADDER (MH 147) URINARY BLADDER (MH 018)

URINARY BLADDER (MH 214)

Name: CHRYSVILLE ZAITA B. GULAY Section: B Date: MAY 28, 2022

Exercise 13: Urinary System

Worksheet

Guide Questions:
1. What is the functional unit of the kidney?

The functional unit of each kidney is the microscopic uriniferous tubule. It

consists of a nephron and a collecting duct into which empty the filtered contents of the
nephron.

2. Differentiate distal convoluted tubules with proximal tubules.

Distal convoluted tubules - Shorter than proximal convoluted tubules

- less convoluted than the proximal tubules.
- less frequent in cortex
- lack brush border
- Basolateral membrane shows infoldings and contains
numerous mitochondria

Proximal tubules - are lined with brush border

- absorb most of filtrate
- Basal infoldings of cell membrane contain numerous
mitochondria and sodium pumps
- Longer than distal convoluted tubules
- more frequently seen in cortex near renal corpuscles

3. Cite a concrete example of a process on how does kidney work in maintaining

homeostasis of the body.

As vital organs in maintaining the body’s stable internal environment or

homeostasis, what the kidneys do is that they regulate the body’s blood pressure, blood
composition and pH, fluid volume, and acid-base balance. An example of this is that the
kidneys work together with the circulatory system to filter blood, and with the urinary
system to remove wastes.

Every day, the kidneys filter all the blood in the body and produce a total of about
1.5 liters of urine. The kidneys control the amount of water, ions, and other substances in
the blood by excreting more or less of them in urine. The kidneys also secrete hormones
that help maintain homeostasis. Kidney cells produce two important substances: an
enzyme renin and a glycoprotein erythropoietin. Renin regulates blood pressure to
maintain proper filtration pressure in the kidney glomeruli. Erythropoietin stimulates
erythrocyte production in red bone marrow.
 The kidneys produce urine, which forms as a result of three main functions:
filtration of blood in the glomeruli, reabsorption of nutrients and other valuable
substances from the filtrate that enters the proximal and distal convoluted tubules, and
secretion or excretion of metabolic waste products or unwanted chemicals or substances
into the filtrate.