Overview of Urinary System

Overview of Urinary Structure

Composed of organs that manufacture and excrete

urine from the body:

A pair of kidneys A pair of ureters A single bladder A single urethra

When 250 mL of urine is collected, the bladder

distends resulting in a desire to void

Anatomical structure of kidney

Structure of Kidney
Within each kidney are millions of individual structures, called nephrons, that do the actual work of the kidney
A nephron consists of: a glomerulus Bowmans capsule proximal convoluted tubule loop of Henle distal convoluted tubule a collecting duct

Function of Kidney
The kidney regulates homeostasis in the body
Kidney is responsible for the maintenance of the

following:
body fluids electrolytes acid-base balance elimination of body waste

urea and urine

Physiologic features of kidney

The volume and composition of urine is a result of

concentration and dilution of three major processes:

Glomerulus filtration Tubular reabsorption Tubular scretion

Glomerular filtration
Occurs as a result of plasma flowing across a cluster of

capillary vessels and into the urinary space of Bowman capsule. The cxapillary cluster branch off into uriniferous tubules called glomerulus The blood pressure provides the force for filtration Blood flow into the kidney at rate of 1200 mL/min The blood pressure in the glomerulus capillary is 60% of arterial pressure

Glomerular filtration
The ability of the afferent and efferent arterioles to

alter vessel resistance effective maintains glomerular hydrostatic pressure Average adult rate of filtrate is 125 mL/min 99% of tubular filtrate is ultimately absorbed For a healthy kidney, glomerular membrane does not filter plasma protiens greater than 100 angstron in diameter Glomerular filtration is Identical to plasma

Tubular reabsorption
Involves active and passive transport Tubular epithelial Extracellular fluid compartment Passive transport or diffusion due to: difference in osmotic gradient difference in electrical charge (electromagnetic gradient) Passive transport by electromagnetic gradient Chloride Passive transport by osmatic gradient Water (established by sodium chloride solute)

Tubular reabsorption
Chemical gradient Occur due to diffusion of 60% of urea content Week acids and bases may be reabsorbed by diffusion

depending on:
Ammount of ionized or nonionized form
pH of the tubular fluid

Tubular transportation maximum The maximum rate at which transportation mechanism can function Above the maximum, there will be no more reabsorption and substances will appear in urine Adult maximum for glucose is 320 mg/min

Tubular reabsorption
All substance that has tubular transport maximum

also has threshold concentration

Below the threshold, no substance will appear in the

urine Above the threshold large quantities appear in urine Plasma threshold for glucose is 180 to 200 mg/dL

Tubular secretion
Affects the composition of urine by allowing

substances such as:

Penicillin, histamine, peobenecid, methotrexate, and

thiazides to enter into tubular fluid from peritubular or interstitial capillaries

Examples of tubular secretion: Hydrogen ions Amonia Potassium ions

Anatomical feaatures of nephron

Anatomical structures of

nephron:
Proximal tubule
Loop of Henle Distal convoluted

tubule Collecting duct

Proximal tubule
Most glomerular filtrate is reabsorbed in proximal

tubule and returned to blood stream 70% of salt and water is reabsorbed rapidly
Isotonic - maintains nearly same osmolality between

tubular fluid and interstitial fluid at tubular ends Tubular reabsorption no dilution or concentration change of ions

Proximal tubule
Substances absorbed in the tubule include: Sodium Chloride Water Urea Glucose Amino acid Phosphate Uric acid potassium

Tubular reabsorption
90% of bicarbonate in the tubular filtrate is reabsorbed as

carbon dioxide in the presence of hydrogen ions secreted in the lumen Carbon dioxide is then hydrolized to carbonic acid Carbonic acid dissociates to give bicarbonate and hydrogen ion The reverse reaction catalized by carbonic anhydrase The carbonic acid produced dissociates to water and carbon dioxide, which are reabsorbed Proximal tubule reabsorption is constant despite moderate change in the glomerulus

Loop of henle
Descending loop
Permeable to water

Ascending loop
Not permeable to water

Water is passively taken up to High sodium and chloride

equilibrate medullary interstitial osmolality Produces hypertonic filtrate at papilla (tip of henle) Very low sodium and urea permeability

permeability 20 to 25% of sodium load is reabsorbed Passive reabsorption of chloride Hypotonic filtrate is produced Large osmotic gradient between isosmotic renal cortex and

Distal convoluted tubule

5% to 10% of sodium reabsorption occur here Uptake largely determined by aldosterone Decrease in extracellular fluid volume Involves renin-angiotensin system Stimulates release of aldosterone

Increase in aldosterone levels Increase active reabsorption of sodium Increase in potassium No sodium-potassium pump

Collecting duct
Presence of Antidiuretic hormone (ADH) or

vasopressin:
May alter hypotonic fluid
in

the medullary portion

Release of ADH at distal tubule and collecting

duct:
Reabsorbs water to Increase plasma volume and lowers plasma osmolality

Responsible for urine concentration