Urinary SystemJock Joyce, Natalie Simkins

FunctionProduce, filter, and expel urine

Major Organs and Functions of

Each•Two Kidneys - made of millions of nephrons. Vital organs that form

urine, essential for homeostasis and maintenance of life. In process

of forming urine, fluids, electrolytes, and wastes from metabolism are

filtered from the blood and enter the nephron (additional wastes may

be secreted in the the tubules of the nephron, substances useful to

the body are reabsorbed into the blood). IF KIDNEYS FAIL

HOMEOSTASIS CANNOT BE MAINTAINED

•Urethra - urine passes from the bladder to the urethra. Infection of

urethra may spread all throughout urinary tract. Also passageway for

reproductive fluid

•Urinary Bladder - located in pelvis, behind pubic symphysis. In

women: sits in front of uterus, In men: rests on prostate. Elastic fibers

and involuntary muscle fibers in walls of bladder make it well suited

for expansion, then contracts to empty itself. Special kind of epithelial

tissue lines bladder, loosely attached to muscle layer, lies in folds

called rugae. The trigone is the triangular area on the back of the

bladder that is always smooth, where membrane is tightly fixed to

deeper muscle coat

•Ureter - tubes made of smooth muscle fibers that propel urine from

the kidneys to the urinary bladder.

How the Urinary System interacts with other

Systems

Works with the:

• Circulatory System, by cleansing the

blood of waste, removing excess fluids and generally

keeping other fluids in balance.

• Nervous System, by regulating the release of urine.

When the bladder is full, the nervous system

receives messages that it is time to go.

Behaviors that improve the functioning of the Urinary

System

• Keeping your blood pressure at the target set by your health provider (aim for less sodium)

• If you have diabetes, control your blood glucose level. Good glucose control may help prevent or delay diabetes complications, including kidney disease.

• Keep your blood cholesterol in your target range by staying active, maintaining a healthy weight, and having a healthy diet

• Don’t smoke. If you do, take steps to try and quit. Smoking can make kidney damage worse.

• Get or become more active. Physical activity is good for your blood pressure as well as your blood glucose and blood cholesterol levels

• Lose weight if you are overweight. Being overweight makes your kidneys work harder. Losing weight helps your kidneys last longer

Diseases that affect the Urinary System

•Interstitial Cystitis (also known as “painful

bladder syndrome” and “frequency-urgency-

dysuria syndrome”) - inflamed/irritated bladder

wall. The scarring caused by the illness can

stiffen the bladder, causing pinpoint bleeding

and decreasing its capacity. The cause of

Interstitial Cystitis is unknown and patients do

not respond to antibiotics.

•Pyelonephritis - the result of a UTI advancing to

your upper urinary tract. This includes the

kidneys and ureters, but is classed as a kidney

infection. Through the kidneys, the infection

can spread to the blood and cause serious

illness. Symptoms include: back pain, fever,

blood in urine, nausea and vomiting, and

confusion. Pyelonephritis is almost always

curable through antibiotics.

Quiz!

1.What do the kidneys maintain?

2.What are two things you can do to help your kidneys last longer?

3.The ureter…

A.Maintains homeostasis

B.Filters urine

C.Makes insulin

D.Propels urine from kidneys to urinary bladder

4. What are 3 symptoms of pyelonephritis?

5. What is the cause of interstitial cystitis