Functions:

❖ Remove waste products and medicines from the body

❖ Balance the body's fluids
❖ Balance a variety of electrolytes
❖ Release hormones to control blood pressure
❖ Release a hormone to control red blood cell production
❖ Help with bone health by controlling calcium and phosphorus

Organ involves and the function:

0. Adrenal gland- the release of aldosterone—a hormone that sends signals to

the kidneys to absorb more sodium into the bloodstream and release potassium
into the urine.

1. Kidney- removes urea from the blood through tiny filtering units called nephrons.
a. Nephrons consist of a ball formed of small blood capillaries (glomerulus)
and a small tube called a renal tubule.
2. Two ureters- These narrow tubes carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder.
Muscles in the ureter walls keep tightening and relaxing. This forces urine downward,
away from the kidneys.
3. Bladder- This triangle-shaped, hollow organ is located in the lower belly. The
bladder's walls relax and expand to store urine.

4. Two sphincter muscles- These circular muscles help keep urine from leaking by
closing tightly like a rubber band around the opening of the bladder.
5. Nerves in the bladder- The nerves alert a person when it is time to urinate, or empty
the bladder.

6. Urethra- This tube allows urine to pass outside the body.

EXPLANATION (FOR OUR EYES ONLY) The brain signals the bladder muscles to tighten.
This squeezes urine out of the bladder. At the same time, the brain signals the sphincter
muscles to relax to let urine exit the bladder through the urethra. When all the signals
happen in the correct order, normal urination happens.

Common illnesses

● Bladder infections - (cystitis) usually caused by bacteria.

● Enlarged prostate - in men, this can make it difficult to empty the bladder.
● Incontinence - when urine leaks out of the urethra.

● Kidney infections - when a bladder infection ‘backs up’ the ureters.

● Kidney stones - caused by infection and high blood levels of calcium.