What are the functions of the

urinary system?
1. Excretion of metabolic wastes
2. Maintenance of water-salt balance
3. Maintenance of acid-base balance
4. Hormone secretion: renin and
erythropoietin

 Bean shaped
10 cm long, 6 cm
wide, 3 cm thick
and weighs 150g.
Supplied by the
renal artery
Drained by the
renal vein
2 distinct section:
a) cortex
b) medula

What are nephrons?

is the basic unit of
kidney structure
and function.
Each kidney has
over one million
nephrons that are
responsible for:
- removing waste
products from
blood
- maintaining water,
salt and pH
balance in the
body

Structure of a Nephron
The nephron consists of a:
a) Glomerulus
- main filter of the
nephron
- consists of a network
of capillaries
- is located within the
Bowman's capsule

b) Proximal convoluted
tubule
- epithelial layer with
a brush border of
microvilli to allow
reabsorption of
filtrate components

c) Loop of henle
- U-shaped structure
that has a descending
limb to allow water to
leave and an
ascending
limb that pushes out
salt.

d) Distal convoluted
tubule
made of epithelial
cells rich in
mitochondria and
thus is important
for movement of
molecules from the
blood to the tubule
(tubular secretion).

e) Collecting ducts
several nephrons
share a collecting
duct which serve to
carry urine to the
renal pelvis

Nephron action and urine formation

The mechanism of urine formation
involves three processes:
a) filtration,
b) reabsorption,
c) secretion

1. Filtration
Blood enters the tubule area in
a capillary.
The capillary forms a small
knot near the kidney tubule.
The blood is filtered so all the
small particles go into the
tubule.
The capillary then carries on
to run next to the tubule.

The kidney tubule now contains

lots of blood components
including:
Glucose:
Ions:
Water:
Urea:

2. Reabsorb sugar
The body needs to have sugar
in the blood for cells to use in
respiration. So all the sugar is
reabsorbed back into the
capillary.

2. Reabsorb sugar
The body needs to have sugar
in the blood for cells to use in
respiration. So all the sugar is
reabsorbed back into the
capillary.

3. Reabsorb water
Water and ions are the next to
be absorbed. It depends on
how much is needed by the
body.

Reabsorbing water
If you have too
little water in your
blood, you will
produce very
concentrated urine.

If you have too

much water in your
blood, you will
produce very dilute
urine.

(very little water in

it)

(lots of water in it)

5. Excrete the waste

Everything that is left in the
kidney tubule is waste:
All the urea
Excess water
This waste is called urine. It is
excreted via the ureter and is
stored in the bladder.
Renal vein
The clean blood leaves the
kidney in the renal vein.
Ureter

Urine formation

Summary of urine production

Water content of the body is controlled in
the KIDNEYS
Urea, water and other waste makes up
URINE.
Urine travels down the URETER and is
stored in the BLADDER
Urine is excreted through the URETHRA.

How do the kidneys maintain

homeostasis?

Excrete wastes
Urea, creatinine and uric acid
Water-salt balance of blood
Helps regulate blood volume and
pressure
Acid-base balance of blood
Helps regulate pH