The Urinary System

Sheryll Joy L. Calayan, R.N.

The Urinary System

Ureters, Urinary Bladder and Urethra

Ureters- carry urine from the renal pelvis to the

urinary bladder Urethra- carries urine from the urinary bladder to the outside of the body The ureters and Urinary bladder are lined with transitional epithelium and have smooth muscles in their walls. The internal and external urinary sphincter muscles regulate the flow of urine through the urethra

The Urinary System

Kidneys
Nephron- the functional unit of the kidney
Renal corpuscle Proximal convoluted tubule Loop of Henle Distal convoluted tubule

Filtration membrane formed by:

Glomerular capilliaries Basement membrane Podocytes of the Bowmans capsule

Structure of the Kidney

Arteries and Veins

Renal arteries give rise to branches that
lead to afferent arterioles Afferent arterioles supply the glomeruli Efferent arterioles carry blood from the glomeruli to the peritubular capilliaries Blood from the peritubular capilliaries flows to the renal veins

Blood Supply of the Kidney

Nephrons and Urine Formation

Nephrons form the urine product
Filtration Reabsorption Secretion

Each kidney contains about 1 million

nephrons

Structure of a Nephron
2 main structures
Glomerulus a knot of capillaries Renal tubule (about 2 inches long) Bowmans capsule surrounds the glomerulus Proximal convoluted tubule Henles Loop Distal convoluted tubule

Renal tubule enters collecting duct

Receives urine from nephrons Delivers final urine product into the calyces

A Typical Nephron

A Renal Corpuscle

Blood Supply of the Nephron

Control of Blood Composition by Kidneys

Excretion of nitrogen-containing compounds
Water and electrolyte balance
Regulated by hormones ADH increases water reabsorption Aldosterone increases sodium reabsorption Urea Uric acid

Acid-base balance of blood

Second effect of aldosterone increase water reabsorption. Blood pH must be 7.35 7.45 (very narrow range) Tubule cells secrete whatever is necessary into filtrate Urine pH = 4.5 8.0

Regulation of Urine Concentration and Volume

Hormonal Mechanisms: ADH

ADH is secreted from the posterior
pituitary when the concentration of blood increases or when blood pressure decreases. ADH increases the permeability to water of the distal convoluted tubule and collecting duct. It increases water reabsorption by the kidneys

Hormonal Mechanisms: Aldosterone

Aldosterone increases the rate of:
sodium chloride reabsorption, potassium secretion, and hydrogen ion secretion

Hormonal Mechanisms: Atrial Natriuretic Hormone

Secreted from the right atrium in response
to the increase in blood pressure Acts on the kidney to increase the sodium and water loss in the urine

Effect of Sympathetic Nerve Innervation on Kidney Function

Increased sympathetic activity
decreases blood flow to the kidney, decreases filtration pressure, decreases filtrate in urine formation

URINE MOVEMENT
Increased volume in the urinary bladder

stretches wall activates micturation reflex Parasympathetic impulses contraction of the urinary bladder and relaxation of the internal urinary sphincter Reduced somatic potentials cause relaxation of the external urinary sphincter Higher brain centers control the micturation reflex. Stretch of the urinary bladder stimulates ascending neurons that carry impulses to the brain and inform the brain of the need to urinate

Body Fluid Compartments

Water and its electrolytes are distributed
in two major compartments Approximately 60% - within cells 40% outside cells- in interstitial fluid, plasma of blood, and lymph

Composition of Fluid in Body Fluid Compartments

Intracellular fluid contains more
Potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphate, sulfate ions, and proteins than extracellular fluid. Extracellular fluid contains more sodium, chloride, and bicarbonate ions than intracellular fluid.