Urinary system - wikipedia Urinary system This is the latest accepted revision, reviewed on 24 August 2018. Urinary system 1. Human urinary system : 2. Kidney, 3. Renal pelvis, 4. Ureter, 5. Urinary bladder, 6. Urethra. ( Left side with frontal section ) 7. Adrenal gland Vessels : 8. Renal artery and vein, 9. Inferior vena cava, 10. Abdominal aorta, 11. Common iliac artery and vein Transparent : 12. Liver, 13. Large intestine, 14. Pelvis Urinary system in the male. Urine flows from the kidneys via the ureters into the bladder where it is stored. When urinating, urine flows through the urethra ( longer in males, shorter in females ) to exit the body Details Identifiers Latin Systema urinarium MeSH D014551 TA A08. 0.00. 000 FMA 7159 Anatomical terminology ( edit on Wikidata ) The urinary system, also known as the renal system or urinary tract, consists of the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and the urethra. The purpose of the urinary system is to eliminate waste from the body, regulate blood volume and blood pressure, control levels of electrolytes and metabolites, and regulate blood pH. The urinary tract is the body 's drainage system for the eventual removal of urine. The kidneys have an extensive blood supply via the renal arteries which leave the kidneys via the renal vein. Each kidney consists of functional units called nephrons. Following filtration of blood and further processing, wastes ( in the form of urine ) exit the kidney via the ureters, tubes made of smooth muscle fibres that propel urine towards the urinary bladder, where it is stored and subsequently expelled from the body by urination ( voiding ). The female and male urinary system are very similar, differing only in the length of the urethra. Urine is formed in the kidneys through a filtration of blood. The urine is then passed through the ureters to the bladder, where it is stored. During urination, the urine is passed from the bladder through the urethra to the outside of the body. 800 -- 2,000 milliliters ( mL ) of urine are normally produced every day in a healthy human. This amount varies according to fluid intake and kidney function. Contents 1 Structure 1.1 Development 1.2 Microanatomy 2 Function 2.1 Urine formation 2.1. 1 Regulation of concentration and volume 2.2 Urination 3 Clinical significance 4 See also 5 References 6 External links Structure 3D 3D model of urinary system The urinary system refers to the structures that produce and transport urine to the point of excretion. In the human urinary system there are two kidneys that are located between the dorsal body wall and parietal peritoneum on both the left and right sides. The formation of urine begins within the functional unit of the kidney, the nephrons. Urine then flows through the nephrons, through a system of converging tubules called collecting ducts. These collecting ducts then join together to form the minor calyces, followed by the major calyces that ultimately join the renal pelvis. From here, urine continues its flow from the renal pelvis into the ureter, transporting urine into the urinary bladder. The anatomy of the human urinary system differs between males and females at the level of the urinary bladder. In males, the urethra begins at the internal urethral orifice in the trigone of the bladder, continues through the external urethral orifice, and then becomes the prostatic, membranous, bulbar, and penile urethra. Urine exits through the external urethral meatus. The female urethra is much shorter, beginning at the bladder neck and terminating in the vaginal vestibule. Development Main article : Development of the urinary system Microanatomy See also : Urothelium Under microscopy, the urinary system is covered in a unique lining called urothelium, a type of transitional epithelium. Unlike the epithelial lining of most organs, transitional epithelium can flatten and distend. Urothelium covers most of the urinary system, including the renal pelvis, ureters, and bladder. Function The main functions of the urinary system and its components are to Regulate blood volume and composition ( e.g. sodium, potassium and calcium ) Regulate blood pressure. Regulate pH homeostasis of the blood. Contributes to the production of red blood cells by the kidney. Helps synthesize calcitrol the ( active form of Vitamin D ). Stores waste product ( mainly urea and uric acid ) before it and other products are removed from the body. Urine formation Average urine production in adult humans is about 1 -- 2 litres ( L ) per day, depending on state of hydration, activity level, environmental factors, weight, and the individual 's health. Producing too much or too little urine requires medical attention. Polyuria is a condition of excessive urine production ( > 2.5 L / day ). Oliguria when < 400 mL ( millilitres ) are produced, and anuria one of < 100 mL per day. The first step in urine formation is the filtration of blood in the kidneys. In a healthy human the kidney receives between 12 and 30 % of cardiac output, but it averages about 20 % or about 1.25 L / min. The basic structural and functional unit of the kidney is the nephron. Its chief function is to regulate the concentration of water and soluble substances like sodium by filtering the blood, reabsorbing what is needed and excreting the rest as urine. In the first part of the nephron, Bowman 's capsule filters blood from the circulatory system into the tubules. Hydrostatic and osmotic pressure gradients facilitate filtration across a semipermeable membrane. The filtrate includes water, small molecules, and ions that easily pass through the filtration membrane. However larger molecules such as proteins and blood cells are prevented from passing through the filtration membrane. The amount of filtrate produced every minute is called the glomerular filtration rate or GFR and amounts to 180 litres per day. About 99 % of this filtrate is reabsorbed as it passes through the nephron and the remaining 1 % becomes urine. The urinary system is regulated by the endocrine system by hormones such as antidiuretic hormone, aldosterone, and parathyroid hormone. Regulation of concentration and volume The urinary system is under influence of the circulatory system, nervous system, and endocrine system. Aldosterone plays a central role in regulating blood pressure through its effects on the kidney. It acts on the distal tubules and collecting ducts of the nephron and increases reabsorption of sodium from the glomerular filtrate. Reabsorption of sodium results in retention of water, which increases blood pressure and blood volume. Antidiuretic hormone ( ADH ), is a neurohypophysial hormone found in most mammals. Its two primary functions are to retain water in the body and vasoconstriction. Vasopressin regulates the body 's retention of water by increasing water reabsorption in the collecting ducts of the kidney nephron. Vasopressin increases water permeability of the kidney 's collecting duct and distal convoluted tubule by inducing translocation of aquaporin - CD water channels in the kidney nephron collecting duct plasma membrane. Urination Main article : Urination Urination is the ejection of urine from the urinary bladder through the urethra to the outside of the body. In healthy humans ( and many other animals ), the process of urination is under voluntary control. In infants, some elderly individuals, and those with neurological injury, urination may occur as an involuntary reflex. Physiologically, micturition involves coordination between the central, autonomic, and somatic nervous systems. Brain centers that regulate urination include the pontine micturition center, periaqueductal gray, and the cerebral cortex. In placental mammals the male ejects urine through the penis, and the female through the vulva. Clinical significance Main article : Urologic disease Further information : Urinary tract infection Urologic disease can involve congenital or acquired dysfunction of the urinary system. A urinary tract obstruction is a urologic disease that can cause urinary retention. Diseases of the kidney tissue are normally treated by nephrologists, while diseases of the urinary tract are treated by urologists. Gynecologists may also treat female urinary incontinence. Diseases of other bodily systems also have a direct effect on urogenital function. For instance it has been shown that protein released by the kidneys in diabetes mellitus sensitises the kidney to the damaging effects of hypertension. Diabetes also can have a direct effect in urination due to peripheral neuropathies which occur in some individuals with poorly controlled diabetes. Urinary incontinence can result from a weakening of the pelvic floor muscles caused by factors such as pregnancy, childbirth, aging and being overweight. Pelvic floor exercises known as Kegel exercises can help in this condition by strengthening the pelvic floor. There can also be underlying medical reasons for urinary incontinence which are often treatable. In children the condition is called enuresis. Some cancers also target the urinary system, including bladder cancer, kidney cancer, ureteral cancer, and urethral cancer. Due to the role and location of these organs, treatment is often complicated. See also Major systems of the human body Medicine portal References Jump up ^ `` The Urinary Tract & How It Works NIDDK ''. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Jump up ^ C. Dugdale, David ( 16 September 2011 ). `` Female urinary tract ''. MedLine Plus Medical Encyclopedia. Jump up ^ Maton, Anthea ; Jean Hopkins ; Charles William McLaughlin ; Susan Johnson ; Maryanna Quon Warner ; David LaHart ; Jill D. Wright ( 1993 ). Human Biology and Health. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, USA : Prentice Hall. ISBN 0 - 13 - 981176 - 1. Jump up ^ Caldwell HK, Young WS III, Lajtha A, Lim R ( 2006 ). `` Oxytocin and Vasopressin : Genetics and Behavioral Implications '' ( PDF ). Handbook of Neurochemistry and Molecular Neurobiology : Neuroactive Proteins and Peptides ( 3rd ed. ). Berlin : Springer. pp. 573 -- 607. ISBN 0 - 387 - 30348 - 0. Jump up ^ Nielsen S, Chou CL, Marples D, Christensen EI, Kishore BK, Knepper MA ( February 1995 ). `` Vasopressin increases water permeability of kidney collecting duct by inducing translocation of aquaporin - CD water channels to plasma membrane ''. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 92 ( 4 ) : 1013 -- 7. doi : 10.1073 / pnas. 92.4. 1013. PMC 42627. PMID 7532304. Jump up ^ Baba, T ; Murabayashi, S ; Tomiyama, T ; Takebe, K ( 1990 ). `` Uncontrolled hypertension is associated with a rapid progression of nephropathy in type 2 diabetic patients with proteinuria and preserved renal function ''. The Tohoku journal of experimental medicine. 161 ( 4 ) : 311 -- 8. doi : 10.1620 / tjem. 161.311. PMID 2256104. Jump up ^ `` Peripheral Neuropathy ''. Patient UK. Retrieved 2014 - 03 - 20. External links The Wikibook Human Physiology has a page on the topic of : The Urinary System The Wikibook Anatomy and Physiology of Animals has a page on the topic of : Urinary System Library resources about Urinary system Resources in your library Anatomy of the urinary system Kidneys Layers Fascia Capsule Cortex column Medulla sinus pyramids medullary interstitium Lobe Cortical lobule Medullary ray Nephron Circulation Arteries Renal artery segmental interlobar arcuate interlobular afferent Veins Renal vein Peritubular capillaries Vasa recta arcuate interlobar efferent Nephron Renal corpuscle Glomerulus Bowman 's capsule Glomerular basement membrane Podocyte Filtration slits Mesangium Intraglomerular mesangial cell Renal tubule Proximal convoluted tubule Loop of Henle Descending Thin ascending Thick ascending Distal convoluted tubule Collecting duct system Connecting tubule Papillary duct Tubular fluid Renal papilla Minor calyx Major calyx Renal pelvis Juxtaglomerular apparatus Macula densa Juxtaglomerular cells Mesangium Extraglomerular mesangial cell Ureters Ureteropelvic junction Bladder Apex Uvula Neck Median umbilical ligament Muscular layer Trigone Detrusor Mucosa Submucosa Urethra Urethral sphincters External sphincter male female Internal sphincter Human systems and organs Musculoskeletal Skeletal system Bone Carpus Collar bone ( clavicle ) Thigh bone ( femur ) Fibula Humerus Mandible Metacarpus Metatarsus Ossicles Patella Phalanges Radius Skull Tarsus Tibia Ulna Rib Vertebra Pelvis Sternum Cartilage Joints Fibrous joint Cartilaginous joint Synovial joint Muscular system Muscle Tendon Diaphragm Circulatory system Cardiovascular system peripheral Artery Vein Lymphatic vessel Heart Lymphatic system primary Bone marrow Thymus secondary Spleen Lymph node CNS equivalent Glymphatic system Nervous system Brain Spinal cord Nerve Sensory system Ear Eye Integumentary system Skin Subcutaneous tissue Breast Mammary gland Immune system Myeloid Myeloid immune system Lymphoid Lymphoid immune system Respiratory system Upper Nose Nasopharynx Larynx Lower Trachea Bronchus Lung Digestive system Mouth Salivary gland Tongue upper GI Oropharynx Laryngopharynx Esophagus Stomach lower GI Small intestine Appendix Colon Rectum Anus accessory Liver Biliary tract Pancreas Urinary system Genitourinary system Kidney Ureter Bladder Urethra Reproductive system Male Scrotum Penis Prostate Testicle Seminal vesicle Female Uterus Vagina Vulva Ovary Placenta Endocrine system Pituitary Pineal Thyroid Parathyroid Adrenal Islets of Langerhans GND : 4023494 - 0 NDL : 00563231 Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Urinary_system&oldid=856320179 '' Categories : Urinary system Hidden categories : Pages with unresolved properties Wikipedia pending changes protected pages All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from January 2018 Wikipedia articles with GND identifiers Wikipedia articles with NDL identifiers Talk Contents About Wikipedia Azərbaycanca Bosanski Brezhoneg Català Čeština Cymraeg Deutsch ދިވެހިބަސް Ελληνικά Español Esperanto Euskara فارسی Français Gaeilge Galego 한국어 Հայերեն Hrvatski Bahasa Indonesia Italiano עברית Basa Jawa ಕನ್ನಡ Қазақша Kreyòl ayisyen Kurdî Кыргызча Latviešu Lietuvių Nederlands 日本 語 Norsk Português Română Русский Scots Shqip Simple English Slovenčina Slovenščina کوردی Српски / srpski Srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски Suomi Svenska Tagalog தமிழ் Татарча / tatarça తెలుగు ไทย Тоҷикӣ Türkçe Українська Tiếng Việt Walon 粵語 中文 50 more Edit links This page was last edited on 24 August 2018, at 11 : 33 ( UTC ). 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Question: list the main functions of the urinary system
Answer: to eliminate waste from the body, regulate blood volume and blood pressure, control levels of electrolytes and metabolites, and regulate blood pH