Urinary System

By H.A.
 Urinary system
The urinary system contributes to homeostasis
by altering:
• blood composition, pH, volume, and pressure;
maintaining blood osmolarity; excreting
wastes and foreign substances; and producing
hormones.
• The urinary system is the principal system
responsible for water and electrolyte balance
 Urinary system
• After the kidneys filter blood plasma, they return most
of the water and solutes to the bloodstream.
• The remaining water and solutes constitute urine,
which passes through the ureters and is stored in the
urinary bladder until it is excreted from the body
through the urethra.
1. Nephrology is the scientific study of the anatomy,
physiology, and pathology of the kidneys.
2. Urology – is the branch of medicine that deals with
the male and female urinary systems and the
reproductive system.
 Functions of the Urinary system
1. Kidneys regulate blood volume and
composition; help regulate blood pressure, pH,
and glucose levels; produce two hormones
(calcitriol and erythropoietin); and excrete
wastes in urine.
2. Ureters transport urine from kidneys to urinary
bladder.
3. Urinary bladder stores urine and expels it into
urethra.
4. Urethra discharges urine from body
 Urinary system
• Consist of:
1. Two kidneys
2. Two ureters
3. One urinary
bladder and
4. One urethra
 KIDNEYS

•Kidneys are the primary retroperitoneal Structures

 b/n the peritoneum & post abdominal wall
 Kidneys
• kidneys extend from level of T-
12 to L3 on posterior abdominal
wall.
• mostly under cover of costal
margin: receive some protection
from ribs
• Rt kidney lies slightly lower
than the Lt, due to bulk of Liver.
• During respiration, contraction of
diaphragm moves both kidneys
downward.
 The Kidneys
 Function of the kidneys:
1. Excrete waste products of metabolism in the form of
urine
2. Major role in controlling water & electrolyte balance
in the body
3. Maintain acid-base balance in blood

• Urine kidneys  ureter bladder

urethra (prostatic, membranous, penile)
 Anatomic structures of the kidneys
 Has a lateral convex border & medial
concave border.
 on medial border  Hilus of kidneys.
 Hilus transmits: Renal vein, Renal
artery (two branches), & ureter & 3rd
branch of renal artery, from front
backward.
 Lymph vessels & sympathetic fibers
also pass thru the hilus.
The kidneys
 The kidneys
• Kidneys are surrounded by Fibrous
Capsule
• outside Capsule is a covering of Fat
 Perirenal-Fat
• Renal Fascia surrounds Perirenal
Fat & encloses Kidneys &
Suprarenal Glands.
• Pararenal Fat, large amount of fat
behind Renal Fascia
• Perirenal Fat, Renal Fascia &
Pararenal Fat support Kidneys &
hold them in position on Posterior
Abdominal Wall
 Internal anatomy of the kidneys
 The kidneys are composed of:
• Outer Cortex which is light brown & inner
Medulla is dark brown.
• Medulla compose of Renal Pyramids, with
bases oriented toward Cortex & apex toward
Renal Papilla.
• Cortex extends into Medulla b/n adjacent
pyramids as Renal Columns.
• Renal Pelvis- (upper expanded end of Ureter)
divides into 2 or 3 Major- Calyces each of
which divides into 2 or 3 Minor Calyces.
• Each minor calyx is indented by apex of Renal
Pyramids Renal Papilla
 Arterial Supply of the kidneys
• Renal Artery (a branch of
Aorta)

a. Lt renal a. arises a little higher

than Rt.
b. Rt renal a. is longer & passes
posterior to IVC.

• Renal aa. Originate from lateral

aspect of abdominal aorta.
 Venous Drainage
• Renal Veins follow arteries
• Multiple renal veins form Lt
& Rt renal veins, & both
are anterior to renal arteries.
• Lt renal vein crosses the
midline anterior to
abdominal aorta &
posterior to SMA & can be
 The Ureter
• Ureters are muscular tubes
extending from Kidneys to
posterior surface of urinary
bladder.
• It is about 25 cm long having
3 constrictions:
1. Where Renal Pelvis joins
Ureter
2. As it crosses Pelvic Brim
3. Where it pierces Bladder wall
 Ureter
• Ureter emerges from Hilus of
Kidney & runs vertically
downward on Psoas major
muscle, which separates it from
tips of transverse processes of
Lumbar Vertebrae.
• Enters Pelvis by crossing
bifurcation of common iliac
a.runs down lateral wall of
pelvis turns forward & enters
lateral angle of bladder.
 Ureter
I. Arterial Supply:
1. Renal Artery
2. Testicular or ovarian a.
3. Superior vesical artery (in the pelvis)
• Venous blood drained into corresponding
veins.
 Urinary bladder
 Is a hollow, distensible muscular
organ
 situated in the pelvic cavity
posterior to the pubic symphysis.
 In males, it is directly anterior to the
rectum
 In females, it is anterior to the
vagina and inferior to the uterus.
 It’s capacity averages 700–800 mL.
 It is smaller in females because the
uterus occupies the space just
superior to the urinary bladder.
 Wall of the urinary bladder
• In the floor of the urinary bladder is a small
triangular area called the trigone.

• The two posterior corners of the trigone

contain the two ureteral openings.

• The opening into the urethra, the internal

urethral orifice, lies in the anterior corner of
the trigone.
Urinary bladder
 Four angles urinary bladder
1. Anterior angle (Apex):
• the apex or anterior angle has the obliterated
urachus connects the apex to umbilicus  in
fixation of the bladder.
2. Posterolateral angles (two):
• has the opening of the ureters.
3. Inferior angle:
• leads into the urethra.
 Urinary bladder
Blood supply
1. Superior vesical, off the umbilical artery, and
2. Inferior vesical (in the male).
• In the female: inferior vesical is replaced by
uterine arteries.
• Veins do not follow the arteries but form a
plexus:  prostatic venous plexus (in male) &
vesical plexus (in female) terminate as
tributaries of internal iliac vein (hypogastric
vein).
 Urethra
• The urethra begins at base of bladder & ends with an
external opening in the perineum.
• Paths taken by urethra differ in women & men.
• In women: urethra is short, being about 4 cm long.
• Urethral opening is anterior to vaginal opening in the
vestibule.
• Inferior aspect of urethra is bound to anterior surface of
vagina.
• Two small paraurethral mucous glands (Skene's glands)
are associated with lower end of urethra.
• Each drains via a duct that opens onto lateral margin of
external urethral orifice.
Female Urethra
 Urethra
• In men: the urethra is long, about 20 cm, & bends twice along
its course.
• Beginning at base of bladder & passing inferiorly thru the
prostate, enters the root of penis.
• As the urethra exits the deep perineal pouch, it bends forward &
forms an angle to course anteriorly in the root of the penis.
• When the penis is flaccid, urethra makes another bend, this time
inferiorly, when passing from the root to the body of the penis.
• During erection, the bend b/n the root & body of the penis
disappears.
• The urethra in men is divided into 1). preprostatic, 2).
prostatic,
3). membranous, and 4). spongy parts.
Male Urethra
 TIME FOR QUIZ
1. The carry urine from the kidney to the _______ urinary
bladder
2. The internal urethral sphincter is composed of voluntary
skeletal muscle, and the external urethral sphincter is
composed of involuntary smooth muscle
A. TRUE B. FALSE
3. Which of the following is not a function of the kidneys?
A. Participation in the formation of the active form of vitamin D
B. Regulation of the volume and composition of the blood
C. Removal of wastes from the blood in the form of urine
D. Production of white blood cells e. Regulation of blood pressure
5. The trigone, a landmark in the urinary bladder,
is a triangular area bounded by:
A. The orifices of the ejaculatory ducts and the
urethra.
B. The internal urethral orifice and the inferior
border of the detrusor muscle.
C. The ureteral and the internal urethral orifices.
D. The top of the fundus and the ureteral orifices.
E. The major and minor calyces
Thank you!!!