2. The Urinary System
23-2
• Functions of urinary system
• Anatomy of kidney
• Urine formation
– glomerular filtration
– tubular reabsorption
– tubular secretion
• Urine and renal function tests
• Urine storage and elimination
6. 23-6
Kidney Functions
• Filters blood plasma
– returns useful substances to blood
– eliminates waste
• Regulates
– osmolarity of body fluids, blood volume, BP
– acid base balance
• Secretes
– renin and erythropoietin
• Detoxifies free radicals and drugs
• Gluconeogenesis
7. 23-7
Nitrogenous Wastes
• Urea
– by product of protein metabolism
– proteinsamino acids NH2 removed
forms ammonia, liver convertsto
urea
Uric acid
– nucleic acid catabolism
Creatinine
– creatine phosphate catabolism
Renal failure
– azotemia: BUN (blood ureanitrogen),
nitrogenous wastes in blood
– uremia: toxic effects as wastes
accumulate
• Hemodialysis: removes nitrogenous
wastes
•
•
•
8. 23-8
Excretion
• Separation of wastes from body fluids and
eliminating them; by four systems
– respiratory: CO2
– integumentary: water, salts, lactic acid, urea
–digestive: water, salts, CO2, lipids, bile
pigments, cholesterol
– urinary: many metabolic wastes, toxins,
drugs, hormones, salts, H+and water
9. 23-9
Anatomy of Kidney
• Position, weight and size
– retroperitoneal, level of T12 to L3
– about 160 g each
– about size of a bar of soap (12x6x3 cm)
• Shape
– lateral surface - convex; medial - concave
• CT coverings (3 layers protect kidney)
– renal fascia: binds kidney to abdominal wall
– adipose capsule: cushions and supports kidney;
holds it in place
– renal capsule: encloses kidney like cellophane wrap;
protects from trauma and infection
10. Anatomy of Kidney
• Renal cortex: outer 1 cm
• Renal medulla: renal columns, pyramids - papilla
• Lobe of kidney: pyramid and it’s overlying cortex
23-10
11. Wedge-Shaped Lobe of Kidney
• Glomerular filtrate collects in capsular space, flows into renal tubule
23-11
13. The Nephron
23-13
Renal Corpusle
Proximal convoluted
tubule (PCT)
– longest, most coiled,
simple cuboidal with
brush border
• Nephron loop - U
shaped; descending
and ascending limbs
–
– thick segment
(simple cuboidal)
initial part of
descending limb and
part or all of
ascending limb,
active transport of
salts
thin segment (simple
squamous) very
water permeable
14. The Nephron - Continued
• Distal
convoluted
tubule (DCT)
– cuboidal,
microvilli
– minimal
• Collecting duct
– several DCT’s
join
23-14
15. 23-15
Fluid Flow
• Flow of glomerular filtrate: from filtrate to
exit from the body
– glomerular capsule PCT nephron loop
– DCT collecting duct papillary duct
– minor calyx major calyx renal pelvis
– ureter urinary bladder urethra
16. Nephrons
• True proportions of nephron
loops to convoluted tubules
shown
• Cortical nephrons (85%)
– short nephron loops
– efferent arterioles branch off
peritubular capillaries
• Juxtamedullary nephrons
(15%) – most responsible for
salt gradient
– very long nephron loops,
Whether short or long nephron
loops they maintain salt
gradient, helps conserve wate2r3-16
24. 23-24
Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR)
• Filtrate formed per minute
• GFR = NFP x Kf
• GFR = NFP x Kf
125 ml/min or 180 L/day, male
105 ml/min or 150 L/day, female
– filtration coefficient (Kf) depends on permeability and
surface area of filtration barrier
• 99% of filtrate reabsorbed, 1 to 2 L urine
excreted
25. 23-25
Effects of GFR Abnormalities
GFR, urine output rises dehydration,
electrolyte depletion
GFR wastes reabsorbed (azotemia
possible)
• GFR controlled by adjusting glomerular
blood pressure
– autoregulation
– sympathetic control
– hormonal mechanism: renin and angiotensin
27. 23-27
Renal Autoregulation of GFR
BP constrict
afferent arteriole, dilate
efferent
• BP dilate afferent
arteriole, constrict
efferent
• Stable for BP range of
80 to 170 mmHg
(systolic)
• Cannot compensate for
extreme BP
28. 23-28
Renal Autoregulation of GFR
• Myogenic mechanism
BP stretches afferent arteriole afferent
arteriole constricts restoresGFR
• Tubuloglomerular feedback
– Macula densa on DCT monitors tubular fluid
and signals juxtaglomerular cells (smooth muscle,
surrounds afferent arteriole) to constrict afferent
arteriole to GFR
30. 23-30
Sympathetic Control of GFR
• Strenuous exercise or acute conditions
(circulatory shock) stimulate afferent
arterioles to constrict
GFR and urine production, redirecting
blood flow to heart, brain and skeletal
muscles
• BP drop causes JG cells to secrete Renin
which acts on angiotensinogen >
angiotensin I
33. 23-33
Effects of Angiotensin II - continued
• Stimulates Adrenal Cortex to secrete
aldosterone > Na+and water retention by
DCT
• Stimulates ADH secretion > water
retention
• Stimulates Hypothalmus thirst center
35. 23-35
Peritubular Capillaries
• Blood has unusually high COP (colloid osmotic
pressure) here, and BHP (blood hydrostatic pressure) is
only 8 mm Hg (or lower when constricted by
angiotensin II); this favors reabsorption
• Water absorbed by osmosis and carries
other solutes with it (solvent drag)
36. 23-36
Proximal Convoluted Tubules (PCT)
• Reabsorbs 65% of GF
• Great length, prominent microvilli and abundant
mitochondria for active transport
• Reabsorbs greater variety of chemicals than
other parts of nephron
– transcellular route - through epithelial cells of PCT
– paracellular route - between epithelial cells of PCT
• Transport maximum: when transport proteins of cell
membrane are saturated; blood glucose > 220 mg/dL
some remains in urine (glycosuria); glucose Tm = 320
mg/min
38. 23-38
Tubular Secretion of PCT
and Nephron Loop
• Waste removal
– urea, uric acid, bile salts, ammonia,
catecholamines, many drugs
• Acid-base balance
– secretion of hydrogen and bicarbonate ions
regulates pH of body fluids
• Primary function of nephron loop
– water conservation -2/3 reabsorbed by PCT
– generates salinity gradient, allows CD to conc.
urine
– also involved in electrolyte reabsorption
39. 23-39
DCT and Collecting Duct
• Principal cells – receptors for hormones;
involved in salt/water balance
• Intercalated cells – involved in acid/base
balance
• Function
– fluid reabsorption here is variable, regulated
by hormonal action
40. 23-40
DCT and Collecting Duct
• Aldosterone effects
BP renin release angiotensin II
formation
– angiotensin II stimulates adrenal cortex
– adrenal cortex secretes aldosterone
• promotes Na+ reabsorption promotes water
reabsorption urine volume maintains BP
42. 23-42
DCT and Collecting Duct
• Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP)
–
–
atria secrete ANP in response to BP
has four actions:
1. dilates afferent arteriole, constricts efferent
arteriole - GFR
2. inhibits renin/angiotensin/aldosterone
pathway
3. inhibits secretion and action of ADH
4. inhibits NaCl reabsorption
• Promotes Na+ and water excretion, urine
volume, blood volume andBP
43. 23-43
DCT and Collecting Duct
• Effect of PTH
calcium reabsorption in DCT - blood Ca2+
phosphate excretion in PCT, new bone
formation
– stimulates kidney production of calcitriol
45. 23-45
Control of Water Loss
• Producing hypotonic urine
– NaCl reabsorbed by cortical CD
– water remains in urine
• Producing hypertonic urine
– dehydration ADH aquaporin
channels, CD’s waterpermeability
– more water is reabsorbed
– urine is more concentrated
46. 23-46
Countercurrent Multiplier
• Recaptures NaCl and returns it to renal medulla
• Descending limb
– reabsorbs water but not salt
– concentrates tubular fluid
• Ascending limb
– reabsorbs Na+, K+, and Cl-
– maintains high osmolarity of renal medulla
– impermeable to water
– tubular fluid becomes hypotonic
• Recycling of urea: collecting duct-medulla
– urea accounts for 40% of high osmolarity of medulla
48. 23-48
Countercurrent Exchange System
• Formed by vasa recta
– provide blood supply to medulla
– do not remove NaCl from medulla
• Descending capillaries
– water diffuses out of blood
– NaCl diffuses into blood
• Ascending capillaries
– water diffuses into blood
– NaCl diffuses out of blood
52. 23-52
Composition and Properties of Urine
• Appearance
– almost colorless to deep amber; yellow color due to
urochrome, from breakdown of hemoglobin (RBC’s)
• Odor - as it stands bacteria degrade urea to ammonia
• Specific gravity
– density of urine ranges from 1.001 -1.028
• Osmolarity - (blood - 300 mOsm/L) ranges from
50 mOsm/L to 1,200 mOsm/L in dehydrated person
• pH - range: 4.5 - 8.2, usually 6.0
• Chemical composition: 95% water, 5% solutes
– urea, NaCl, KCl, creatinine, uric acid
54. 23-54
Urine Volume
• Normal volume - 1 to 2 L/day
• Polyuria > 2L/day
• Oliguria < 500 mL/day
• Anuria - 0 to 100 mL/day
55. 23-55
Diabetes
• Chronic polyuria of metabolic origin
• With hyperglycemia and glycosuria
– diabetes mellitus I and II, insulin
hyposecretion/insensitivity
– gestational diabetes, 1 to 3% of pregnancies
• ADH hyposecretion
– diabetes insipidus; CD waterreabsorption
57. 23-57
Renal Function Tests
• Renal clearance: volume of plasma cleared of a
waste in 1 minute
• Determine renal clearance (C) by assessing
blood and urine samples: C = UV/P
– U (waste concentration in urine)
– V (rate of urine output)
– P (waste concentration in plasma)
• Determine GFR: inulin is neither reabsorbed or
secreted so its GFR = renal clearance GFR =
UV/P
• Clinical GFR estimated from creatinine excretion
58. 23-58
Urine Storage and Elimination
• Ureters (about 25 cm long)
– from renal pelvis passes dorsal to bladder and
enters it from below, with a small flap of
mucosa that acts as a valve into bladder
– 3 layers
• adventitia - CT
• muscularis - 2 layers of smooth muscle with
3rdlayer in lower ureter
– urine enters, it stretches and contracts in
peristaltic wave
• mucosa - transitional epithelium
– lumen very narrow, easily obstructed
60. 23-60
Urinary Bladder
• Located in pelvic cavity, posterior to pubic
symphysis
• 3 layers
– parietal peritoneum, superiorly; fibrous adventitia rest
– muscularis: detrusor muscle, 3 layers of smooth
muscle
– mucosa: transitional epithelium
• trigone: openings of ureters and urethra,
triangular
• rugae: relaxed bladder wrinkled, highly
distensible
• capacity: moderately full - 500 ml, max. - 800 ml
61. Female Urethra
23-61
• 3 to 4 cm long
• External urethral orifice
– between vaginal orifice and
clitoris
• Internal urethral sphincter
– detrusor muscle thickened,
smooth muscle, involuntary
control
External urethral sphincter
skeletal muscle, voluntary
control
62. Male Bladder and Urethra
• 18 cm long
• Internal urethral sphincter
• External urethral sphincter
3 regions
prostatic urethra
during orgasm receives semen
membranous urethra
passes through pelvic cavity
spongy urethra
23-62
63. 23-63
Voiding Urine - Micturition
• 200 ml urine in bladder, stretch receptors send
signal to sacral spinal cord
Signals ascend to•
–
–
inhibitory synapses on sympathetic neurons
micturition center (integrates info from amygdala, cortex)
• Signals descend to
–
–
further inhibit sympathetic neurons
stimulate parasympathetic neurons
• Result
–
–
urinary bladder contraction
relaxation of internal urethral sphincter
• External urethral sphincter - corticospinal tracts to
sacral spinal cord inhibit somatic neurons - relaxes
