UROGENITAL SYSTEM

The urinary and genital systems closely interrelated both structurally and developmentally.

URINARY SYSTEM

1. For Excretion process of ridding the body with waste resulting from metabolism (mainly
nitrogenous wastes).

Other wastes: excess water, gases, organic materials and salts.

Ammonotelic
Ureotelic

Uricotelic

Which of the three nitrogenous wastes is produced with the least energy cost? The most toxic?
And the most soluble?
 2. For Osmoregulation maintenance of a ratio between the quantity of salt and water in
the body fluids such that the organism can survive in its natural habitat (water or land).

eliminate excess water

prevent escape of water

regulate excretion of salts

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS AND FUNCTIONS

1. Kidneys are the primary adult excretory organs.

Mesodermallyderived compact organs consisting of numerous renal corpuscles that

open into the renal tubules.

2. Essential functions:

a. removal of nitrogenous waste products of protein metabolism and many other harmful
substances.

b. osmoregulation maintenance of physico-chemical balance or water chemistry.

KIDNEYS AND THEIR DUCTS

Osmoregulatory Role of Kidneys

Freshwater organismsneed to excrete water and conserve salt

Saltwater organismsneed to conserve water and excrete salt

Also study the following diagrams below:
 Osmoregulationthe maintenance of salt and water in body fluids (one aspect of homeostasis).

Homeostasis involuntary control of the chemical environment of cells.

Fish kidneysregulate water and salts.

Tetrapod kidneysregulate water and salts, plus function in the elimination of nitrogenous
waste.

Vertebrate kidneys consist of glomeruli, renal tubules surrounded by peritubular capillaries, &
longitudinal excretory ducts. Variations in kidney structure among vertebrates are primarily in the
number & arrangement of the glomeruli & complexity of the tubules.

Glomeruli are masses of capillaries that (along with Bowman's capsule) 'filter' the blood the first
step in eliminating waste products from the blood.

Kidney tubules collect the glomerular filtrate & conduct it to a longitudinal duct. Tubules
consist of several segments & begin as a Bowmans (or glomerular) capsule.
Glomerulus + BC = Renal Corpuscle

PCT+ Loop of H + DCT + CT= Renal Tubule

Renal Corpuscle + Renal Tubule = Nephron

Longitudinal ducts = begin developing at anterior end of kidney & grow caudally until
opening into the cloaca
Review and Study the basic anatomy of the kidney and the nephrons: Make sure to know the
function/s of each section/part/structure. Diagram of nephron shown below (may also refer to
book).

Glomerular filtration water, certain salts, glucose & other solutes; varying the size and
number, water can be excreted abundantly or sparingly
Tubular reabsorption* glucose, water, salts

Tubular secretion* useless or harmful substances not removed by filtration

(nitrogenous wastes in tetrapods, salts in fishes)

* Varying the length of kidney tubules, either salt or water, can be recovered from filtrate or salt
excreted abundantly
 Large renal corpuscle means more water in raw filtrate
Thick intermediate segments mean many cilia to drive filtrate through tubule, which
means less water will be reabsorbed

One extreme: marine teleosts and mammals concentrated urine

Other extreme: freshwater teleosts and sharks copius dilute urine

Basic pattern and the Archinephros

Basic pattern of glomeruli, renal tubules, and excretory ducts.

Glomerulimicroscopic arterial loops (retia mirabilia.

External Glomerulus (embryos and larvae)

Nephrostome (peritoneal funnel)

Internal Glomerulus (open or closed nephrostome)

Bowmans capsuledouble-walled outgrowth from a kidney tublule

Renal corpuscleincludes the glomerulus and its Bowman capsule.

Afferent glomerular arteriole (supply)

Efferent glomerular arteriole (lesser diameter)

Increases blood pressure within glomerulus

Nephronthe functional unit of a gnathosome kidney that includes a renal corpuscle,

renal tubule and peritubular capillaries

More helpful diagrams: can also be found in the book.

Types of Kidney: Make sure to know the differences/similarities between them.

Archinephros: The Ancestral Kidney

 Earliest vertebrate kidneys probably extended the entire length of the body cavity & had
external glomeruli that drained the coelomic fluid.
Long and segmented.

Glomeruli large and nephrostomes present.

Found in larvae of HAGFISHES and CAECILIANS.

Pronephros: The Larval Kidney

The most anterior kidney and the first to form in ALL VERTEBRATES.
Fewer nephrotomes - (e.g., 3 in frogs, 7 in human embryos, & 12 in chicken embryos)

The duct that drains the pronephros is called the pronephric duct.

The pronephros is temporary & function only until glomeruli & tubules further back
become functional.

Remains functional in ADULT HAGFISHES and SEVERAL BONY FISHES.

Before functional glomus is formed.

MESONEPHROS: Kidney of Anamniotes

Formed by corspuscles and tubules that develop caudad to pronephric region; form
connections with existing proneprhic duct (which is now called the mesonephric duct).
The embryonic kidney in REPTILES, BIRDS, and MAMMALS.

The functional adult kidney in FISH and AMPHIBIANS (sometimes called _____).

MESONEPHROS: Kidney of Anamniotes

JAWED FISHES and AMPHIBIANS among males, some anterior tubules of mesonephros
conduct sperm from testis to mesonephric duct. That part of the mesonephros is called the
sexual kidney, while the rest is the uriniferous kidney.

METANEPHROS: Adult Amniote Kidney

Amniote embryos mesonephros functions for a short time after hatching or birth &, during that
time, a new kidney called the metanephros is developing.

the number of renal corpuscles is large; up to about 4.5 million in some species.
drained by a duct called the metanephric duct or ureter.

EVOLUTION OF KIDNEYS AND DUCTS

MAMMALIAN KIDNEY

Mammalian kidneys are divided into the CORTEX, MEDULLA, & PELVIS.
Cortex contains renal corpuscles & lots of capillaries.

Medulla contains collecting ducts and loops of Henle; divided into pyramids & columns.

Pelvis hollow; receives the urine (which exits the kidney via the ureter).

Tubules of mammalian kidney have U-shaped Loops of Henle (avian kidney = very short
loops & reptilian kidney = no loops).

Blood supply:

kidney is supplied by 2 or more renal arteries in reptiles & birds, & by a single renal
artery in mammals.
Pathway of blood in mammalian kidney: renal artery > segmental arteries > interlobar
arteries > arcuate arteries > interlobular arterioles.

Peritubular capillariessupplied with blood from efferent glomerular arterioles and the renal
portal system.

Nephrogenic mesodermgives rise to renal tubules

First tubules develop at anterior end.

URINARY BLADDER

Provides temporary storage for urine, and EXCEPT in mammals, often modifies the
concentration and composition of urine.
Are found in all vertebrates except agnathans, snakes, crocodilians, some lizards, & birds
(except ostriches).
 Why? Because they excrete a semisolid urine containing uric acid.

Fish bladders are terminal enlargements of the mesonephric ducts called TUBAL
BLADDERS.

Amphibians through Mammals bladders arise as evaginations of ventral wall of the

cloaca.

Value of tetrapod urinary bladder:

void urine when desired rather than continuously as it is formed.

USES OF URINE

reproduction (e.g., providing males with information concerning the reproductive status
of a female).
behavioral (e.g., marking territories).

moisten soil (some freshwater turtles use urine to soften the ground and make it easier
to dig holes for egg-laying).

REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM

produce gametes
synthesize steroidal hormones

for differentiation and growth

maintenance of accessory organs

maintenance of secondary sex characteristics

sexual behavior

Gonads:

arise as paired ridges just medial to mesonephros

due to fusion or failure of 1 ridge to differentiate, some vertebrates (agnathans, some
female lizards & crocodilians, & most female birds) have a single testis or ovary

hormones cause differentiation of early gonads into either testes or ovaries

OVARIES of FISHES

Ovaries are hollow sacs, either because the ovary develops around coelom or the ovary
becomes hollow at ovulation (eggs are discharged into cavity which is continuous with
the oviduct)

In some teleosts plus agnathans, the ovaries are compact & eggs are discharged into
coelom

Amphibian ovaries are hollow (folded thin-walled sacs) & eggs are discharged into the coelom

Reptiles, birds, & monotremes ovaries solid but develop irregular, fluid-filled lacunae (cavities);
eggs discharged into coelom

Mammalian ovaries compact; no large chambers or lacunae

Shark ovary and oviduct

o cartilaginous fish 2 ostia fuse to form single ostium (or osteum); shell gland
secretes albumen & a shell; uterus holds eggs until laying
teleosts ducts are continuous with cavity of the ovary.

lungfish & amphibians oviducts long & convoluted; lining secretes jelly-like material
around each egg.

crocodilians, some lizards, & nearly all birds 1 coiled oviduct lined with glands that add
albumen, shells, &, sometimes, pigment.

MONOTREME FEMALE GENITAL TRACT

tract is reptilian; caudal end secretes a shell before egg passes into the cloaca

MARSUPIALS

no fusion of embryonic ducts so there are 2 tracts (DUPLEX UTERUS)

PLACENTALS

placental mammals embryonic ducts give rise to oviducts, uteri, & vaginas. Adult tract
is paired anteriorly & unpaired posteriorly (typically terminating as an unpaired vagina).

TYPES OF UTERI
What are the different types? How are they different from each other? Examples?

FISH TESTES

Paired sacs (testes) that produce milt during spawning

Differences in anatomy of the FROG and AVIAN male reproductive tract?

MAMMALIAN TESTES

Spermatic ducts empty into cloaca except in therian mammals (into urethra)
multicellular glands secretions for seminal fluid in amniotes

not all present in mammals

produce mucus, nutritive secretions, or fluids to neutralize acidity of vagina

ampullary glands, prostate glands, Cowpers glands

seminal vesicles also serve as sperm storage site in other craniates

coagulating glands cause semen to coagulate in vagina (copulation plug)

urethra in male mammals

prostate urethra meet prostrate gland

membranous urethra prostate gland to base of penis

spongy urethra w/in penis

Translocation of testes in mammals:

testes descend permanently into scrotal sacs (= labia majora) in many mammals
(ungulates, carnivores, primates)
inguinal canal passage between abdominal cavity & scrotum
 some mammals testes lowered into scrotal sacs & retracted at will (rabbits, bats, few
rodents). What are Cremaster muscles? Spermatic cord? Importance of scrotal sacs?

scrotal sacs do not develop in some mammals; testes remain in abdomen

(monotremes, elephants, sirenians, cetaceans)

INTROMITTENT (copulatory) ORGANS for sperm delivery/transfer where fertilization is

internal.

absent in cyclostomes, anurans, urodeles, and most birds cloacal kiss

elasmobranchs grooved fingerlike claspers

in many teleosts gonopodium modified anal fin

snakes and lizards hemipenes protrusible saclike diverticula under the skin at the
entrance to the cloaca

male turtles, crocodiles, few birds, and monotremes erectile penis

PENIS IN THERIAN MAMMALS

Formed from the genital tubercle located anterior to the cloacal opening.
The tubercle enlarges to become the penis.

May be hidden under the skin but usually partly external even when not erect.

Glans at the tip of penis is variously shaped e.g. forked in monotremes and marsupials.

The penis may be stiffened by a bone called _________ (or os penis) as in carnivores,
bats, insectivores, rodents, and some primates.

turtles, crocodilians, a few birds, & mammals exhibit an unpaired erectile penis.

Make sure to know similarities and variations of the male and female reproductive tract of the
different vertebrates.
CLOACA review the anatomy of the cloaca of the different vertebrates
More information:

Hypothetical ancestral kidney (archinephros)one external glomerulus, one

nephrostome, and one unconvoluted tubule in each body segment along the length of
coelom.
Gathering coelomic fluid for elimination of liquid wastes.

Larval Hagfishclosest approach to this hypothetical condition (larval hagfish kidney

called a holonephros).

Role of the Glomeruli

Urine formation (three major processes)

Glomerular filtrationelevated blood pressure cause certain salts, glucose and other
solutes in blood plasma to be filtered into the Bowmans capsule

Tubular reabsorptionsome constituents are selectively reabsobed as they pass through

specific segments of the tubule (glucose, water)

Tubular secretionremoves from circulation certain substances not removed by filtration

(nitrogenous wastes)
 In general, glomeruli are larger in freshwater fishes and aquatic amphibians, and smaller
in marine fishes and tetrapods (especially those living in arid environments)

Excretion of Nitrogenous Wastes

Ammonotelicproduce ammonia, highly soluble in water (freshwater teleosts, most

marine fishes (drink sea water but are able to rapidly excrete salt), and aquatic and
semiaquatic amphibians)
Ureotelicproduce urea (elasmobranchs and mammals)

Uricotelicproduce uric acid, semisolid (birds and mammals)

Pronephros Anterior portion of the nephogenic mesoderm. Pronephric tubules drain into
pronephric duct which opens into cloaca.

Mesonephros Nephrogenic mesoderm just posterior to pronephros. Once the pronephric kidney
regresses, the pronephric duct becomes the mesonephric duct. A mesonephros forms the adult
kidney in fishes and amphibians; it is the functional embryonic kidney of amniotes.
Opisthonephrosthe kidneys of fishes and amphibians sometimes called this because kidney
tubules develop as far back as the cloaca.
Metanephros adult kidney of amniotes, formed from the posterior part of the nephrogenic
mesodermm whic becomes displaced anteriorly and laterally during development

Mammalian kidneys

Ureterforms fromembryonic mesonephric duct

Renal pelvis with extensions (calyces) responsible for collecting urine from
common collecting tubules

Loops of Henle-tubules in mammalian kidneys

Cortexhousing the glomerulim convuluted tubules, and the upper ends of the
loops of Henle.

Medullaconsists of loops and collecting tubules

Vasa rectaloops of peritubular capilarries that parallet the loops of Henle

Pyramidsaggregates of loops of Henle, vasa recta, and collecting tubules

Renal papillathe point where each pyramid tapers to a point

Extrarenal Salt Excretion:

marine teleostschloride-secreting glands on gills

elasmobranchs and coelacanthrectal glands
 marine turtles, lizards, snakes, and birds

URINARY BLADDERS

adaptation to terrestriality, serve as water reservoirs

arise from evagination of ventral wall of embryonic cloaca

present in placental mammalsdrained by urethra

present in amphibians, turtles, lizards, monotremes, ratite birds also have a bladderbut
the ureter opens up into cloaca

GENITAL ORGANS

Two major functions:

Produce gametes
Synthesize steroidal hormonesfor differentiation, growth, and maintenance of
accessory sex organs (reproductive ducts and their glands), secondary sex
characteristics, and sexual behavior.

genital ridgesgive rise to gonads (mesoderm: mesomere)

primordial germ cells (endoderm) migrate to genital ridges and become established
just internal to peritoneum and this area of genital ridge becomes germinal epithelium.

gonads develop into either ovaries or tests (influenced by genes, hormones,

temperature, etc.)

gonads develop a dorsal mesentary: mesorchium (M) or mesovarium (F)

In males, primary sex cords become seminiferous tubules that produce sperm
In females, primary sex cords regress, new secondary sex cords form and are the source
of oocytes.
 Bidders Organfound in anurans, but usually disappears during development; from the
anterior part of the testis; persists in toads, This organ contains undifferentiated tissue
resembling immature ova.

In all vertebrates, eggs are released into the coelom or a compartment of it before being
swept into an oviduct.

Sperm are conducted in a closed system of vessels without ever entering the coelom.

References:
From comparative anatomy textbooks listed in the syllabus and from the internet.
Pictures and/or plates and figures from the internet or scanned from the comparative anatomy textbooks.