CHAPTER 25- URINARY SYSTEM
Urinary system= 2 kidneys, 2 ureters, 1 urinary bladder, 1 urethra
KIDNEY FUNCTIONS:
1-regulate blood ionic composition
2- regulate blood pH
3-regulate blood volume
4-regulate blood pressure- renin
5-maintain blood osmolarity
6-produces hormones-cortisol and erythropoietin
7-regulate blood glucose levels
8- excrete wastes and foreign substances
GROSS ANATOMY:
EXTERNAL-
Medial surface marker- renal hilus- ureter, vessels and nerves
emerge from kidney
3 tissue layers surround each kidney- inside to outside-
1-renal capsule
2-adipose capsule
3-renal fascia
INTERNAL-
Outer- renal cortex
Cortex- 2 areas- outer cortical zone and inner juxtamedullary zone
Inner- renal medulla
8-18 cone shaped renal pyramids
Narrow apex area of pyramid-renal papilla
Renal columns- extensions of cortex
Renal lobe= renal pyramid, renal cortex
Parenchyma- functional portion = nephrons
Urine formed in nephrons drains into papillary ducts
From papillary ducts to minor and major calyces to renal pelvis to
ureter to urinary bladder
BLOOD AND NERVE SUPPLY-
BLOOD
Aorta-renal artery- segmental artery- lobar artery- interlobar
artery- arcuate artery- interlobulary artery- afferent arteriole-
glomerulus- efferent arteriole-peritubular capillaries and vasa
recta- interlobular vein- arcuate vein- interlobar vein- renal vein-
inferior vena cava
NERVES
Renal plexus supplies the kidneys – which originates in the celiac
plexus which are part of the sympathetic division of the autonomic
nervous system
NEPHRON
Functional units of kidney
2 parts of nephron
Renal corpuscle- where the blood plasma is filtered
Renal tubule- passageway for filtered fluid
Renal corpuscle- 2 parts
Glomerulus-capillary network
Bowman’s (glomerular) capsule
Blood plasma is filtered through the glomerulus first then filtrate
moves through the renal tubule system- which has 3 parts
Renal tubule – 3 parts in order of passage
Proximal convoluted tubule
Loop of Henle
Distal convoluted tubule
2 TYPES OF NEPHRONS
Cortical – most of apparatus in cortex- 85% of nephrons
Juxtamedullary – nearly all of loop of henle in medulla
2 types of lumens in both loops
Thin segment- - simple squamous epi for ease of water movement
Thick segment- cuboidal or columnar- secrete solutes into filtrate
GLOMERULAR CAPSULE
Has a visceral and parietal layer
Visceral layer- modified simple squamous epithelial cells called
podocytes-
Foot process of podocytes (pedicels) wrap around the glomerular
capillaries – forming inner wall layer
Parietal layer- simple squamous epi – outer wall layer
Fluid filtered from the glomerulus enters the bowman’s
(glomerular) capsule space
HISTOLOGY FO RENAL TUBULE AND COLLECTING DUCT
Proximal convoluted tubule simple cuboidal epi with prominent
brush border of microvilli- increase surface area for absorption and
secretion
Loop of Henle- descending and thin ascending- simple squamous
Loop of Henle- thick ascending limb- simple cuboidal to low
columnar epithelial tissue
Distal convoluted tubule (most of it)- simple cuboidal epi
Last part of distal convoluted tubule and all of collecting duct-
simple cuboidal epi consisting of principal cells and intercalated
cells.
Ascending portion of the loop of Henley makes contact with the
afferent arteriole serving the renal corpuscle—the columnar cells
are crowded together here= so called MACULA DENSA- dense
spot
Next the macula densa the wall of the afferent arterioles and
sometimes efferent arterioles contain modified smooth muscle
fibers= called JUXTAGLOMERULAR (JG) CELLS
Together- the macula densa and the JG cells= juxtaglomerular
apparatus
Helps regulate blood pressure in kidney
Principal cells- have receptors for antidiuretic hormone (ADH) and
aldosterone
Intercalated cells- play a role in homeostasis
NUMBER OF NEPHRONS
Born with as many nephrons as will every have
PHYSIOLOGY
3 functions:
1- glomerular filtration- first step in urine production
2- tubular reabsorption
3- tubular secretion- the opposite of reabsorption -excreted
REGULATION OF URINE CONCENTRATION AND VOLUME
Osmolality- number of solute particles dissolved in 1L of water-
Osmol
Milliosmol (mOsm)
Dilute Urine
Hypotonic solution- antidiuretic hormone is not secreted
Concentrated Urine
Antidiuretic hormone inhibits diuresis
Diuretics
Several types- enhance urinary output
RENAL CLEARANCE
Volume of plasma that is cleared of a substance usually within one
minute
Used to determine glomerular function and progression of renal
disease
RC=UV/P
U= concentration of the substance in the urine (mg/ml)
V= flow rate of urine formation (ml/min)
P= concentration of the substance in plasma (mg/ml)
Insulin-standard
GFR=glomerular filtration rate
Insulin’s renal clearance value is = to GFR
Specific gravity
DI water= 1.0
Urine= 1.001-1.035 depending on solute concentration
URETERS/ URINARY BLADDER-transitional epithelial tissue
