Urinary system

Dr. Udeshika Yapa Bandara

B Sc. Human Biology (USJP), PhD (UOC)
Learning Outcomes
At the end of this session, you should be able to:

• identify the parts associated with the urinary system

• briefly explain the other structures related to the kidney
• outline the gross structure of the kidneys
• Microscopic structure of parts of urinary system
Functions of the renal system
1. Excretion of waste products &
excess ions
2. Elimination – Eliminating
nitrogenous wastes, toxins, and drugs
from the body.
3. Homeostasis - Regulation of
volume, pH & electrolyte
concentration of the blood
4. Filter fluid from the bloodstream
5. Regulate blood volume and
chemical makeup.
6. Maintain proper balance between
water and salts.
7. Maintain acid - base balance
Other regulatory functions –

• Producing Renin enzyme - Help regulate blood pressure.

• Producing Erythropoietin hormone - Stimulates RBC
production in the bone marrow.
• Conversion - Kidney cells convert vitamin D to its active form.
Parts of urinary system
•Two kidneys
- Filter the blood and form urine
- Located in upper, posterior part of abdominal cavity, either side of vertebral
column

•Two ureters
- Transport urine from kidneys to bladder

•Urinary bladder
- Hollow, muscular organ
- Located in pelvic region

•Urethra
•Tube which carries urine from bladder to outside of the body
 Locations
❑ Kidneys
• Abdominal cavity, below diaphragm.
• Lie on the posterior abdominal wall.
Retroperitoneal position. (Between peritoneum and
posterior abdominal wall).

• One on each side of the vertebral column.

• Right kidney lower than left (liver occupies space)

• 12th thoracic vertebra to 3rd lumbar vertebra (Superior

Lumbar Region) – Receiving some protection from lower rib
cage)
 Locations cont…
❑ Ureters -
Extend from abdominal
cavity to pelvic cavity.
❑ Bladder –
Pelvic cavity
❑ Urethra –
Pelvic cavity

7
 Kidney

• Bean shaped - 12 cm long, 6

cm wide & 2.5 cm thick
• 1/5 of cardiac output goes to
kidneys
• Covered by the renal capsule
• Epithelial cells arranged to
form nephrons (functional unit
of kidney)
• Two distinct regions
-Outer cortex
-Inner medulla
 Organs associated with the kidneys
Right kidney
– Superiorly - Right adrenal gland
– Anteriorly - Right lobe of the liver, Duodenum,
Hepatic flexure of the colon
– Posteriorly - Diaphragm, Muscles of posterior
abdominal wall
Left kidney
– Superiorly - Left adrenal gland
– Anteriorly -Spleen, Stomach, Pancreas,Jejunum,
Splenic flexure of the colon
– Posteriorly -Diaphragm, Muscle of the posterior
abdominal wall
 Stomach
Duodenum
Spleen
Liver

Pancreas
Hepatic flexure
Jejunum
Small Intestine Splenic
Ureter
flexure
Inferior
Renal artery Aorta Renal
Vena vein
cava
Ureters
•Narrow tubes -25cm length
•Transport urine from kidneys to bladder (by
peristalsis)
•Wall is thin and contain
-Epithelial lining
-Thin layer of smooth muscle
-Outer layer of connective tissue
Bladder
•Storage organ for urine - 500mL
•Smooth muscles has parasympathetic control (when stimulated, muscles
contract)
•Internal urethral sphincter - Around opening to urethra
•External urethral sphincter - Around upper part of the urethra
Urethra
•Tube lined with mucus secreting epithelial cells
•Surrounded by a layer of smooth muscle cells
•Females - Short urethra (4cm)
•Males - Longer (20cm)
Kidney
 Contd..
The kidney has two distinct regions

renal cortex
• superficial, light red region

renal medulla
• A deep, darker reddish-brown inner region. Pyramid

• Consists of several cone-shaped renal pyramids.

• The base (wider end) of each pyramid faces the renal cortex.
• Its apex (narrower end), called a renal papilla points towards
the renal hilum.
• Together, the renal cortex and renal pyramids of the renal medulla
constitute the parenchyma or functional portion of the kidney.
• Within the parenchyma there are functional units of the kidney
—about 1 million microscopic structures, nephrons.
 Nephron
• Structural and functional unit of
the kidneys.
• Tiny structure, About 3cm long
• Each kidney contains over a million
nephrons
• Responsible for forming urine.
 Parts of a Nephron
Renal tubule
• Has 3 parts
(1) proximal convoluted tubule (PCT)
(2) loop of Henle
(3) distal convoluted tubule (DCT)
• The renal corpuscle and both convoluted tubules lie within the
renal cortex
• the loop of Henle extends into the renal medulla, and then returns
to the renal cortex
•Efferent arteriole - Secretion &
reabsorption
•Branches of afferent arteriole -
Glomerulus
•Bowman's capsule
•Renal corpuscle - Blood is filtered in
urine production
•Proximal convoluted tubule (PCT)
•Loop of Henle
•Distal convoluted tubule (DCT)
•Collecting duct (CD)
Types of nephrons
 Urine

Renal papilla (apex of a Pyramid)

Minor calyx

Major calyx

Pathway of urine Renal pelvis

Ureters

Bladder

Urethra
 Blood supply to the kidney
- Kidney receives 20% of cardiac output.
- Renal artery divide into smaller arteries and arterioles.
- Arterioles enter each glomerular capsule and then subdivide into cluster of
tiny arterial capillaries forming glomerulus.
• Afferent arteriole - Blood come to the glomerulus
• Efferent arterole - Blood Leading away from glomerulus
- It breaks for capillary net work and supplies local tissues with oxygen and
nutrients and removes waste products.

• Efferent arteriole is narrower than the afferent arteriole.

Venous drainage

- Renal vein empties into the inferior vena cava.

- Renal blood vessels are supplied by both

sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves.
- It controls diameter of blood vessels and blood
flow depends on auto regulation.
Renal blood supply
Microscopic features
Slide of kidney cut radially would show all areas of kidney
Under LP observe general arrangement of structures
•In renal cortex close to capsule
Note
round darkly staining areas –
renal corpuscles . These are in
rows at right angles to surface
▪Deeper part of organ
is the medulla - a
lighter staining area
with only tubules

Locate the arteries and

veins
 kidney
In cortex identify

1. renal corpuscle and note 3. Between groups of renal

the central dark nuclei of the corpuscles and still within
glomerulus surrounded by a cortex are medullary rays
space – Bowman's space where there are only tubules
arranged radially
2. circular and oval elements 4. In medulla -
the convoluted tubules - Continuity of medullary rays
around the corpuscle. Two with medulla
types proximal and distal - The tubules of varying size
convoluted tubules and thickness – loops of
Henle, Collecting tubules and
ducts
Renal corpuscle
•Glomerulus and Bowman’s space

•Many nuclei in glomeruli include

podocytes, capillary endothelium
and mesangial cells
At vascular pole Identify
• afferent arteriole
• DCT close to afferent arteriole form macula
densa Nuclei appear larger and more
prominent
• Juxtaglomerular apparatus
 Juxtaglomerular apparatus

• Macula densa - modified DCT

• Juxta glomerular (JG) cells in wall of adjacent afferent arteriole, highly modified
smooth muscle cells
Juxtaglomerular Apparatus
The juxtaglomerular apparatus is a specialized structure formed by the distal convoluted tubule
and the glomerular afferent arteriole.
- main function is to regulate blood pressure and the filtration rate of the glomerulus.
Convoluted tubules
proximal convoluted tubules (PCT)
• more numerous
• lumen small ill defined
• Tall cuboidal lining with
prominent brush border
• Cytoplasm pink
• Cell outlines indistinct

Distal convoluted tubules (DCT)

• Fewer in number, more elongated
• Lumen larger and more clearly
defined
• Lining cells more cuboidal, smaller
with paler cytoplasm
• Cell outlines clearer
In medulla and in medullary rays

•Prominent collecting ducts (CT) – large

diameter lined with tall columnar pale
staining cells with prominent nucleoli

•Thin descending limb of loop of Henle (D),

round in cross section with squamous lining

•Vasa recta (V) similar to above, lining

irregular elongated blood cells in lumen

•Ascending limb of loop of Henle (A), round

in cross section with low cuboidal lining
Ureter • The inner lining of transitional
epithelium thrown into folds
• Lamina propria- connective tissue deep
to epithelium
• Smooth muscle arranged in
- Inner longitudinal layer occupies
most of the wall
- Outer circular layer a narrow
discontinuous band
- Outer longitudinal layer in sections
through lower third of ureter

• Outermost adventitia - thin connective

tissue layer with blood vessels and
nerves
Urinary Bladder

Mucosa folded - rugae when

bladder is empty except over
trigone

Three layers of muscle called

detrusor
At neck of bladder forms
internal urethral sphincter
Urinary epithelium -Transitional epithelium
Highly specialized
• to accommodate stretch
• to withstand toxicity of urine

Shapes of cells vary depending on degree

of distension

•Luminal surface thickened and more

densely stained
•Tight junctions between the surface
epithelial cells prevent intercellular
diffusion
•Surface cells large pale stained present a
scalloped surface outline (umbrella cells)
Nephroptosis
• Condition with floating kidney
• is an inferior displacement or dropping of
the kidney.
• It occurs when the kidney slips from its
normal position because it is not securely
held in place by adjacent organs or its
covering of fat.
• It is dangerous because the ureter may kink
and block urine flow.
• The resulting backup of urine puts pressure
on the kidney, which damages the tissue.
• Twisting of the ureter also causes pain.
Question:
1. What is the functional unit of kidneys?
2. Draw and labelled the parts of above-mentioned structure.
3. Write the path of the renal blood supply.
4. Describe the structure of the bladder to its function.