The Normal, Orderly Function and Physiology of the Urinary System:
- Responsible for the production, storage and excretion of urine
- The urinary system processes prevent the body from becoming overloaded with toxins by cleansing the blood of waste products (byproducts of metabolism)
- Regulates water, salts, acids in the body fluids
- Maintains homeostasis
- Kidneys: produce the urine and regulate systemic blood pressure
- Ureters: transport the urine to the bladder
- Bladder: stores urine until excretion
- Urethra: designed for excretion of urine from the body
The Urinary System:
The Kidneys
- Each kidney is made of approximately 1 million nephrons (microscopic structures)
- Nephrons are the functional filtration units of the kidneys, reabsorb urine, and secrete urine
- Urine is transported to the renal pelvis, then to the ureters to be taken to the bladder
- Each kidney has a gland that sits atop it like a "hat" called the adrenal gland, and it secretes hormones that regulate the water-salt balance
- Each kidney secretes a hormone called renin, which stimulates production of red blood cells, lifts blood pressure, and activates the useful form of vitamin D for the body
- The term "renal" refers to the kidneys and their structure and function
- Things that can interfere with renal function include:
- Kidney infections (nephritis, pyelonephritis, glomerulonephritis)
- Scarring (autoimmune diseases, infection, trauma, injury)
- Toxic necrosis (tissue death)
- Urinary tract trauma (stones, tumors, physical injury)
- Kidney infections (nephritis, pyelonephritis, glomerulonephritis)
- Urea: the nitrogenous waste product of metabolism, which is found in urine
- Extracellular fluid: found between renal cells
- Electrolytes: charged atoms (ions) like Ca+, K+, Mg+, Na+, Cl-
- If urea, extracellular fluid, and electrolytes build up in the blood, this can have detrimental effects, including nausea and vomiting, changes in urine production, fever, blood in urine, high blood pressure, pruritis (itching all over), urea frost, stones, puffiness, edema and swelling, fatigue, headache, pain, malaise, joint pain, odor, dry skin, muscle cramps, heart palpitations, dementia or forgetfulness, and other symptoms. This is what kidney dialysis is for, to cleanse these things from the blood when the renal system is not functioning properly.
- Causes: Diabetes, congenital or acquired structural defects of the kidneys or ureters, tumors, cysts, stones, obstructions of the urinary system, heart disease, autoimmune diseases, polycystic kidney disease, other metabolic disorders
- Causes: Diabetes, congenital or acquired structural defects of the kidneys or ureters, tumors, cysts, stones, obstructions of the urinary system, heart disease, autoimmune diseases, polycystic kidney disease, other metabolic disorders
- Detection of problems: urinalysis and blood tests, urine culture and sensitivity, radiology tests, cytoscopy, biopsy
The Ureters
- The 2 tubules leading from the kidneys to the bladder
The Bladder
- Storage of urine
The Urethra
- Excretion of urine