EXCRETORY SYSTEM - Structural and functional unit of the kidney

ORGANS: - 1 million for each kidney

1. Kidneys Parts:

2. Ureter A. Glomerulus – a high pressure tuft of capillaries, with

fenestrations or openings
3. Urinary bladder
B. Renal tubule – which is made up of:
4. Urethra
a. Glomerular or Bowman’s capsule
FUNCTIONS
b. Proximal convoluted tubule (PCT)
• Elimination of waste products
c. Loop of Henle
▪ Nitrogenous wastes
d. Distal convoluted tubule (DCT)
▪ Toxins
▪ Drugs LAYERS OF THE BOWMAN’S CAPSULE
• Regulate aspects of homeostasis 1. outer parietal layer – composed of simple squamous epithelium
▪ Water balance 2. inner visceral layer – composed of branching podocytes which
▪ Electrolytes cling to the glomerulus. The branches of the octopus-like
▪ Acid-base balance podocytes terminate into pedicles or foot processes; in between
▪ Blood pressure these are openings called filtration slits or slit pores.
▪ RBC production A. GLOMERULUS
▪ Activation of vit. D - A specialized capillary bed
KIDNEY AND THE NEPHRONS - Attached to arterioles on both sides (maintains high pressure)
1. KIDNEY - Large afferent arteriole
- Retroperitoneal bean-shaped organ in spurior lumbar region - Narrow efferent arteriole
- Extends from vertebral levels T12 superiorly and L3 inferiorly - The glomerulus sits within a glomerular capsule (the first part
- Coverings (from the innermost to the outermost): of the renal tubule)
1. renal capsule
2. perirenal fat – most important because it holds kidney in
position
3. renal fascia
- Internal anatomy:
1. Cortex – superficial
2. Medulla – deeper, consists mainly of pyramids
3. pelvis – formed by the union of 2 major calyces
- Major calyx is formed by the union of 2 or more minor calyces
- A minor calyx receives urine from several renal papilla B. RENAL TUBULE
• Glomerular (Bowman’s) capsule
• Proximal convoluted tubule
• Loop of Henle
• Distal convoluted tubule
RENAL CORPUSCLES
- also called as Malphigian corpuscles
- glomerulus plus Bowman’s capsule
- Juxtaglomerular apparatus – consist
of juxtaglomerular cells of the afferent arteriole and the macula
densa of the DCT that is important in blood pressures regulation.
URINE FLOW
FROM THE NEPHRON, URINE FORMED WILL GO TO:
- Coverings of the Kidney Excretory ducts arched collecting tubule → straight collecting
• Renal capsule tubules → papillary ducts → minor calyx → major calyx → pelvis
▪ Surrounds each kidney → ureter → urinary bladder → urethra
• Adipose capsule URINE FORMATION PROCESSES
▪ Surrounds the kidney
▪ Provides protection to the kidney
▪ Helps keep the kidney in its correct location
2. NEPHRON
 RENAL PHYSIOLOGY ▪ Amino acids
MECHANISM OF URINE FORMATION: ▪ Ions
1. Glomerular filtration • Some reabsorption is passive, most is active
2. Tubular reabsorption • Most reabsorption occurs in the proximal convoluted tubule
3. Tubular secretion • Materials not reabsorbed
GLOMERULAR FILTRATION • Nitrogenous waste products
- the glomerulus functions as filter, 1/5 of the plasma flowing ▪ Urea
through the kidneys is filtered from the glomeruli into the renal ▪ Uric acid
tubules ▪ Creatinine
- this process involves passing the blood through of filtration • Excess water
barrier/membrane which includes the following:
TUBULAR SECRETION
▪ Glomerular endothelial cell
- is a means of adding substances to the filtrate from the blood
▪ Basement membrane or the tubule cells
▪ Epithelial cells of Bowmann’s capsule
- can be active or passive
• Nonselective passive process
- important in eliminating urea, excess ions and drugs, and in
• Water and solutes smaller than proteins are forced through maintaining the acid-base balance of the blood.
capillary walls
• Some materials move from the peritubular capillaries into the
• Blood cells cannot pass out to the capillaries renal tubules
• Filtrate is collected in the glomerular capsule and leaves via the ▪ Hydrogen and potassium ions
renal tubule ▪ Creatinine
Force acting on Glomerular filtration: • Materials left in the renal tubule move toward the ureter
a. Glomerular hydrostatic pressure REGULATION OF URINE CONCENTRATION AND VOLUME
- is the chief force pushing water and solutes across the filtration
- urine osmolality ranges from 50 – 1200 mOsm
membrane
- the hyperosmolality of the medullary fluid ensures that the
b. Glomerular osmotic pressure
urine reaching the DCT is dilute
- opposes filtration; resulting from attractive forces exerted by the proteins
in the glomeruli - in the absence of ADH; the dilute filtrate is allowed to pass the
c. Capsular hydrostatic pressure CT, hence, a dilute urine is formed
- opposes filtration; forces exerted by the fluid in Bowman’s capsule - when blood levels of ADH rise, the permeability of the DCT and
CT to water increases, more water is reabsorbed, less is left with
NET FILTRATION PRESSURE (NFP)
the filtrate, hence small volume of more concentrated urine is
- the force responsible for filtrate formation; will tell whether formed.
filtration will proceed or stop.
CHARACTERISTICS OF URINE USED FOR MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS
Formula:
• Colored somewhat yellow due to the pigment urochrome
NFP = glomerular hydrostatic pressure – (glomerular osmotic
(from the destruction of hemoglobin) and solutes
pressure + capsular hydrostatic pressure)
• Sterile
If the NFP is positive, it means that glomerular filtration will proceed
If it is negative it means glomerular filtration will stop. • Slightly aromatic
Glomerular filtration rate • Normal pH of around 6 (varies 4.5-8)
- refers to the amount of filtrate formed per minute of time • Specific gravity of 1.001 to 1.035
- it is equal to 125 mL/min URETER
- directly proportional to the net filtration pressure - 25 to 30 cm slender muscular tube that conveys urine, through
TUBULAR REABSORPTION peristalsis, from the kidney to the urinary bladder
- the process of returning needed substances from the filtrate in 3 anatomical constrictions of the ureter where stones can be
the tubules to the capillary blood. arrested:
- can be active or passive depending upon the substance to be 1. Ureterpelvic junction
reabsorbed
2. Bifurcation of common iliac vessels near the pelvic brim
- the PCT is the most active segment of the tubule in this
3. Vesico-ureteral junction
process; most of the nutrients, 80% of water and Na ions; and the
bulk of actively transported ions are reabsorbed here URINARY BLADDER
- reabsorption of additional Na ions and water occur in the distal - a smooth, distensible muscular sac, lying posterior to the pubic
convoluted tubule (DCT) and collecting tubule (CT) and is symphysis, which functions to store urine
controlled by aldosterone and (antidiuretic hormone) ADH - has two inlets (ureters) and one outlet (urethra) which form
respectively. the vesical trigone
• The peritubular capillaries reabsorb several materials
▪ Some water
▪ Glucose
 URETHRA REGULATION OF WATER AND ELECTROLYTE REABSORPTION
- a thin-walled muscular tube draining urine from the urinary • Regulation is primarily by hormones
bladder to the body exterior • Antidiuretic hormone (ADH) prevents excessive water loss in
- with two sphincters that regulate the passage of urine: urine
a. internal urethral sphincter – located near the bladder, • Aldosterone regulates sodium ion content of extracellular fluid
involuntary • Triggered by the rennin-angiotensin mechanism
b. external urethral sphincter – located at the urogenital • Cells in the kidneys and hypothalamus are active monitors
diaphragm level, voluntary
MAINTAINING WATER / ELECTROLYTE BALANCE
- In females, the urethra is 3-4 cm long and conducts only in
urine; in male, 20 cm long and conducts both urine and semen
MICTURITION
- also called urination, a process of emptying the bladder
- micturition reflex:
- stretching of the bladder wall by the accumulating urine
(200mL and above)
- sensory impulses sent to the sacral segment of the spinal cord
- motor impulses conducted to the detrusor muscles via the
parasympathetic nerves
- contraction of the detrusor muscles and relaxation of the
sphincters urine results to voiding urine.
MAINTAINING WATER BALANCE
• Normal amount of water in the human body
▪ Young adult females – 50%
▪ Young adult males – 60%
▪ Babies – 75%
MAINTAINING ACID-BASE BALANCE IN BLOOD
▪ Old age – 45%
• Water is necessary for many body functions and levels must be • Blood pH must remain between 7.35 and 7.45 to maintain
maintained homeostasis
▪ Alkalosis – pH above 7.45
DISTRIBUTION OF BODY FLUID
▪ Acidosis – pH below 7.35
• Intracellular fluid (inside cells) • Most ions originate as byproducts of cellular metabolism
• Extracellular fluid (outside cells) • Most acid-base balance is maintained by the kidneys
▪ Interstitial fluid
• Other acid-base controlling systems
▪ Blood plasma
▪ Blood buffers
THE LINK BETWEEN WATER AND ▪ Respiration
SALT DEVELOPMENTAL ASPECTS OF THE URINARY SYSTEM
• Changes in electrolyte balance causes water to move from one • Functional kidneys are developed by the third month
compartment to another
• Urinary system of a newborn
• Alters blood volume and blood pressure
▪ Bladder is small
• Can impair the activity of cells ▪ Urine cannot be concentrated
MAINTAINING WATER BALANCE • Control of the voluntary urethral sphincter does not start until
• Water intake must equal water output age 18 months
• Sources for water intake • Urinary infections are the only common problems before old
▪ Ingested foods and fluids age
▪ Water produced from metabolic processes AGING AND URINARY SYSTEM
• Sources for water output • There is a progressive decline in urinary function
▪ Vaporization out of the lungs • The bladder shrinks with aging
▪ Lost in perspiration
▪ Leaves the body in the feces • Urinary retention is common in males
▪ Urine production RENAL FAILURE
• Dilute urine is produced if water intake is excessive - A very serious but uncommon problem
• Less urine (concentrated) is produced if large amounts of - Kidneys are unable to do its physiologic functions such as
water are lost concentrating urine, removing nitrogenous wastes from the
• Proper concentrations of various electrolytes must be present blood, and maintaining electrolyte and pH balance of the body
- Causes: drugs, toxic chemicals, infections, hypertension, DM,
etc