Figure 26-1 An Introduction to the Urinary System

Kidney
Produces urine

Ureter
Transports urine
toward the
urinary bladder

Urinary bladder
Temporarily stores
urine prior
to elimination

Urethra
Conducts urine to
exterior; in males,
transports semen
as well

Anterior view
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Figure 26-3 The Gross Anatomy of the Urinary System

Esophagus (cut)

Diaphragm

Left adrenal gland

Inferior vena
cava
Celiac trunk
Right adrenal
gland
Right kidney

Left kidney
Left renal artery
Left renal vein

Hilum

Superior mesenteric
artery
Left ureter

Quadratus
lumborum
muscle
Iliacus muscle
Psoas major
muscle
Peritoneum (cut)

Abdominal aorta
Left common iliac
artery
Gonadal artery
and vein

Rectum (cut)

Urinary bladder

Anterior view
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Figure 26-2 The Position of the Kidneys

Diaphragm Left kidney

Renal artery
and vein
Adrenal
gland
11th and
12th ribs

Parietal
Renal Renal
peritoneum Stomach vein artery Aorta

Right
kidney
Lumbar
(L1) vertebra

External
oblique

Ureter
Inferior
vena cava

Pancreas
Ureter

Iliac crest

Spleen
Left
kidney

Vertebra

Abdominal
aorta

Connective
tissue layers

Urinary
bladder

Fibrous capsule
Perinephric fat

Urethra

Renal fascia
Quadratus
lumborum

Psoas
Inferior
major vena cava

A superior view of a transverse section

at the level indicated in part (a)

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A posterior view of the trunk

Figure 26-4 The Structure of the Kidney

Renal cortex
Renal medulla

Renal
pyramids

Renal pyramid

Inner layer of
fibrous capsule

Renal sinus

Renal sinus

Connection to
minor calyx
Minor calyx
Major calyx

Adipose tissue
in renal sinus
Renal pelvis
Hilum

Renal pelvis

Hilum

Major calyx

Renal lobe
Renal papilla

Minor calyx

Ureter

Renal papilla

Renal columns
Ureter

Renal lobe

Fibrous capsule

Fibrous
capsule

A diagrammatic view of a frontal

section through the left kidney

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A frontal section of the left

kidney

Figure 26-6 The Functional Anatomy of a Representative Nephron and the Collecting System
NEPHRON
Proximal convoluted tubule
Reabsorption of water,
ions, and all
organic nutrients

COLLECTING SYSTEM
Distal convoluted tubule

Secretion of ions, acids,

drugs, toxins
Variable reabsorption of
water, sodium ions, and
calcium ions (under
hormonal control)
Renal tubule
Collecting duct

Capsular space
Glomerulus
Efferent arteriole

Collecting duct

Afferent arteriole
Glomerular capsule

Renal corpuscle
Production of filtrate

KEY

Variable reabsorption
of water and
reabsorption or
secretion of sodium,
potassium, hydrogen
and bicarbonate ions

Ascending
limb of
loop ends

Descending
limb of
loop begins
Thin
descending
limb

Thick
ascending
limb

Descending
limb

Ascending
limb

Papillary duct
Filtrate
Water reabsorption
Variable water reabsorption
Solute reabsorption
or secretion
Variable solute reabsorption
or secretion

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Delivery of urine
to minor calyx

Nephron loop
Further reabsorption of water
(descending limb) and both
sodium and chloride
ions (ascending limb)

Minor
calyx

Figure 26-7a The Locations and Structures of Cortical and Juxtamedullary Nephrons
Cortical
nephron

Juxtamedullary
nephron

Cortex

Medulla

Collecting duct

Papillary duct

Renal papilla

Minor calyx

The general appearance and location of

nephrons in the kidneys

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Figure 26-5 The Blood Supply to the Kidneys

Glomerulus
Cortical radiate vein

Afferent
arterioles

Cortical radiate artery

Arcuate artery

Cortical
nephron

Arcuate vein
Renal
pyramid

Cortical
radiate
veins
Cortical
radiate
arteries

Juxtamedullary
nephron

Interlobar vein
Interlobar artery

Interlobar
arteries

Cortex

Segmental
artery

Minor calyx
Medulla

Adrenal
artery

Circulation in a single renal lobe

Renal
artery
Renal
vein

Renal vein

Renal artery
Segmental arteries

Interlobar
veins

Interlobar veins

Interlobar arteries

Arcuate veins

Arcuate arteries

Arcuate
veins

Arcuate
arteries

A sectional view, showing major arteries

and veins

Cortical radiate veins

Venules

Cortical radiate arteries

Afferent arterioles

NEPHRONS
Peritubular
capillaries

Glomerulus
Efferent
arteriole

A flowchart of renal circulation

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Figure 26-7 The Locations and Structures of Cortical and Juxtamedullary Nephrons
Peritubular
capillaries

Efferent
arteriole

Cortical
nephron

Afferent
arteriole

Distal
convoluted
tubule

Renal
corpuscle

Juxtamedullary
nephron

Cortex
Collecting
duct
Peritubular
capillaries
Nephron
loop

The circulation to
a cortical nephron
Peritubular
capillaries
Proximal
convoluted
tubule (PCT)
Medulla
Glomerulus
Collecting duct

Distal
convoluted
tubule (DCT)

Vasa recta

Papillary duct
Collecting
duct
Renal papilla

Vasa recta
Nephron
loop

Minor calyx

The general appearance and location of

nephrons in the kidneys

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The circulation to a
juxtamedullary nephron

Figure 26-8 The Renal Corpuscle

Glomerular capsule

Nucleus

Capsular Glomerular Capsular Visceral

space
capillary epithelium epithelium
(podocyte)

Podocyte
Pores
Mesangial
cell

Proximal
convoluted
tubule

Efferent
arteriole
Distal
convoluted
tubule

Capillary
endothelial
cell
Dense
layer

Filtration
slits
RBC

Macula densa
Juxtaglomerular
cells
Pedicels
Juxtaglomerular
complex

Capsular space
Afferent
arteriole

Important structural features of a renal

corpuscle

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Capsular
epithelium

This cross section through a segment of

the glomerulus shows the components
of the filtration membrane of the
nephron.

Figure 26-18c Organs for the Conduction and Storage of Urine

Median umbilical
ligament
Ureter
Lateral umbilical
ligament
Detrusor muscle
Rugae
Ureteral
openings
Internal urethral
sphincter
External urethral
sphincter (in urogenital
diaphragm)

Center of trigone
Neck of
urinary bladder
Prostate gland
Prostatic urethra

Membranous urethra

Urinary bladder in male

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Figure 26-18 Organs for the Conduction and Storage of Urine

Peritoneum

Left ureter Rectum

Urinary bladder

Rectum
Right ureter
Uterus
Peritoneum

Pubic symphysis

Prostate gland

Urinary bladder

External urethral
sphincter

Pubic symphysis

Spongy urethra

Internal urethral
sphincter

External
urethral orifice

Urethra
External urethral
sphincter (in urogenital
diaphragm)

Urethra
Urogenital
[see part c] diaphragm

Vestibule

Male

Female

Median umbilical
ligament
Ureter
Lateral umbilical
ligament
Detrusor muscle
Rugae
Ureteral
openings
Internal urethral
sphincter
External urethral
sphincter (in urogenital
diaphragm)

Center of trigone
Neck of
urinary bladder
Prostate gland
Prostatic urethra
Membranous urethra

Urinary bladder in male

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Vagina

Figure 26-19a The Histology of the Organs That Collect and Transport Urine

Transitional
epithelium
Lamina
propria

Mucosa

Smooth
muscle
Outer connective
tissue layer
Ureter

LM 65

A transverse section through the ureter

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Figure 26-19b The Histology of the Organs That Collect and Transport Urine

Transitional
epithelium Mucosa
Lamina
propria
Submucosa

Detrusor muscle

Visceral
peritoneum
Urinary bladder

LM 36

The wall of the urinary bladder

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Figure 26-9 An Overview of Urine Formation

Proximal convoluted tubule

Distal convoluted tubule

Glomerulus

Glomerular capsule
Collecting duct

KEY
Filtration occurs exclusively in the renal corpuscle,
across the filtration membrane.

Nephron loop

Water reabsorption occurs primarily along the PCT and

the descending limb of the nephron loop, but also to a
variable degree in the DCT and collecting system.
Variable water reabsorption occurs in the DCT and
collecting system.
Solute reabsorption occurs along the PCT, the
ascending limb of the nephron loop, the DCT, and
the collecting system.

Urine storage
and elimination

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Variable solute reabsorption or secretion occurs at

the PCT, the DCT, and the collecting system.

Table 26-1 The Organization of the Nephron and Collecting System

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Table 26-1 The Organization of the Nephron and Collecting System

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Table 26-3 Tubular Reabsorption and Secretion

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