Urinary System

Human Excretory (Urinary Tract) Functions

A. Filtration with Active Secretion and Active Reabsorption

B. Maintaining Homeostatic Balance in the Internal Environment
C. Waste removal via blood filtration

Nitrogenous Water products

1. Ammonia - Highly Toxic, Highly Water Soluble

2. Urea - Less - Toxic Less, Water Soluble
3. Uric Acid - Least Toxic, Poorly Water Soluble, Semisolid,
conserves body water
D. Water and Osmotic Regulation
E. Electrolyte Balance
F. pH Balance
G. Hormone production

Renal Circulation

A. Renal Arteries, Arcuate Arteries, Afferent Arterioles

B. Glomerulus (filtration Site)
C. Efferent Arterioles, Peritubular Or Vasa Recti
D. Venules, Arcuate Veins, Renal Veins

Anatomy of (Urinary Tract) Organs

A. Kidney
1.

Cortex Medulla

Medullary Rays Renal Pyramids of Malpighi

Renal columns of Bertin
Medullary Rays

2. Renal Pelvis - Calyces ( Major & Minor)

3. Hilum - Blood vessels Enter and Leave
B. Ureter - Peristaltic contractions, Transport of filtrate
C. Urinary Bladder - Muscular, storage
D. Urethra - Transport of filtrate to outside
 Kidney Histology and Histophysiology

A. Nephron = Kidney Functional Unit

Afferent arteriole and Efferent Arteriole

Renal Corpuscle

Glomerulus
Bomans Capsule

Proximal convoluted tubule

Descending Loop of Henle, thin
Ascending Loop of Henle, thick
Distal convoluted tubule
Collecting Duct

B. Renal Corpuscle - Glomerulus (filtration)+ Bowmans Capsule

1. Histology
a. Glomerulus (Tuff of capillaries)
1. Capillary, thin
walled,
fenestrated
with large
pores, no
diaphragm in
pores
2. Pores larger and more numerous than other
porous epithelia
3. Mesangial Cells, between capillaries, under
pododcyte layer, processes supporting Capillaries
b. Bowmans Capsule
1. Visceral Layer (contact with glomerulus)
1. Podocytes - a Primary process & secondary
processes; cell body does not touch capillary
The Secondary processes wrap around the
capillary
Contacts the basement membrane (fusion of
capillary & podocyte bm) directly
Form filtration slits ~25nm wide
2. Parietal Layer (external, outer wall)
1. Simple Squamous Epithelium
3. Basement membrane with a thin layer of elastic
fibers
2. Funtion
. Highly Permeable To Small Solutes
a. Selectively Permeable To Large Solutes,
b. Charged Molecules Blocked
c. Neutral Passes More Easily
d. 180 liters per day
C. Proximal Convoluted Tubule, PCT
1. Histology
. Cuboidal epithelium with round, centrally loacted nucleus
a. Cytoplasm, acidophilic
b. Cell margins difficult to see
c. Lumen, large in living, collapsed(reduced) in fixed tissue
d. Brush border ( Microvilli
e. Base of cells folded with many mitochondria.
2. Funtion
. Reabsorption (90% of solutes)& Secretion
a. 100% of glucose reabsorbed
b. Water reabsorption by osmosis
c. Active Transport & Passive Diffusion
D. Loop Of Henle
1. Histology
. Descending limb, thin with wide lumen
a. Ascending limb, thin segment,
squamous epithelium
Thick segment resembles DCT
2. Funtion
. Counter Current
a. Produces Sodium concentration gradient
in renal medulla
E. Distal Donvoluted Tubule, DCT
1. Histology
. Cuboidal Epithelium
a. Smaller than PCT, more cells per cross section
b. Less Acidophilic cytoplasm
c. No Brush Border, Larger Lumen
d. Poor lateral margins
2. Funtion
. Secretion of uric acid, ammonia, creatinine
a. Aldosterone Na+ in and K+ out
F. Juxtaglomerular Apparatus (JD)
1. Histology (photo right, JD arrow )
. Includes Macula Densa, below
a. Modified smooth muscle cells of the
Tunica media of Afferent Arteriole
b. More epithelial like
c. Nuclei, flattened oval, cigar shaped,
d. Internal Elastic membrane not present in
this area
e. Granular cytoplasm, stains with PAS
f. EM, characteristics of protein secretion
2. Function:
. Enhances Blood Pressure
Control Renal Blood Flow and Glomerular Filtration
a. Renin (hormone) Production (produces Angiotensin, vasoconstrictor)
b. Acts on Angiotensin => Angiotensin I (10 amino acids)
c. Lung endotheliun produces a converting enzyme
d. Acts on Angiotensin i => Angiotensin II (8 amino acids)
G. Macula Densa
1. Histology (photo right, longitudinal cut, cells MD arrow )
. Region of DCT that passes between the Afferent and Efferent Arteriole
a. In contact with Afferent Arteriole
b. Next to Juxtaglomerular Cells, see Above
c. Cells: Columnar, Closely packed, Transfers data on filtrate
osmolarity??
Note Photo at right, labeled and Photo under Renal corpuscle above)

Collecting Tubules (ducts)

1. Histology
a. Straight throug Cortex and Medulla, open in a renal papilla
b. Small collecting ducts = Cuboidal Epithelium
c. Large collecting ducts, near Papilla = Columnar Epithelium
d. Cytoplasm stains weakly, clear halo around nucleus
e. Clear Lateral margins
2. Funtion
a. Impermeable to water
b. ADH controls permeability to water
c. Transports filtrate and Empties into Calyces of renal pelvis

Calyces, Renal Pelvis, Ureter, Urinary Bladder

1. Simular Histologcal Structures

a. Mucosa - Transitional epithelium
b. Lamina Propria - Loose and Dense Connective tissue
c. Smooth Muscle - woven sheath, helical arrangement
2. Ureter Histology
a. Mucosa - Transitional epithelium
b. Smooth Muscle - woven sheath, helical
arrangement
c. Smooth Muscle becomes logitudinal as it
reaches the Bladder
3. Urinary Bladder Histology
a. Mucosa - Transitional epithelium (note folds of contracted
bladder below)
b. Smooth Muscle - woven without distinct layers, runs in all
directions
 Near neck, 3 distinct layers
c. Superior surface = Serosa (far right surface)
d. Inferior Surface = Adventitia

Urethra Histology

1. Female (4-5 cm)

a. Stratified Squamous Epithelium
Some Pseudostratified Columnar Epithelium
b. Midpart - External Sphincter Muscle, Striated Muscle
2. Male ( 4 parts)
a. Prostatic Urethra - Transitional Epithelium
b. Membranous Urethra (1 cm) - Stratified or Pseudostratified
Columnar Epithelium
External Sphincter Muscle, Striated Muscle
c. Bulbous Urethra - Pseudostratified Columnar to Stratified
Squamous Epithelium
d. Pendulous Urethra - Pseudostratified and Columnar, some
Stratified Squamous Epithelium

Male Reproductive System

Gross Anatomy of Male Reproductive System

A. Testis Located in the Scrotum, tunica vaginalis (mesothelium sac,

peritoneum)
1. Seminiferous tubules - Produce Sperm
2. Interstitial Cells - Produce Androgens
B. Epididymis - Sperm Storage
C. Vas Deferens - Duct, transports Sperm from testis to the Prostate Gland
D. Seminal Vessicle - Secrets Fluid, rich in Fructose, part of Semen
E. Prostate Gland (Ejaculatory Duct) Milky Alkaline Fluid (assists Sperm
Activation)
F. Cowpers Gland [Bilbourethral Gland] - Contributes Mucus to Semen
G. Urethra (Penis) - Organ of Copulation