Chapters 17 and 18: Urinary System and Water, Electrolyte, and Acid-Base Balance

Filtration

Process in which nutrients, water, and minerals leave filtrate and move into capillaries to be reclaimed by the body

Glomerular (Bowman’s) capsule

Surrounds the glomerulus; structure in which filtrate is formed

Glomerulus

Filtering capillary tuft in the renal corpuscle of a nephron that forms filtrate

Incontinence

When a person is unable to voluntarily control the external urethral sphincter, like childbirth weakening bladder control muscles

Micturition

Urination

Nephron

Functional unit of a kidney, consisting of renal corpuscle and renal tubule. It is a fundamental microscopic excretory structure of the kidneys, about 1 million of them in total.

Renal dialysis

A life-sustaining medical procedure that acts as an artificial kidney to filter waste products, toxins, and excess fluids from the blood when a patient's kidneys have failed

Tubular reabsorption

Process in which water and solutes move from the glomerulus into the glomerular capsule

Tubular secretion

Process in which wastes are actively moved from blood into the nephron tubules to be eliminated from the body

Ureter

Tube that carries urine from the kidney to the urinary bladder

Urethra

Tube leading from the urinary bladder to the outside of the body

Urinalysis

A common, non-invasive diagnostic test that examines a urine sample for physical, chemical, and microscopic abnormalities. It is used to UTIs, kidney disease, diabetes, or to monitor overall health during routine checkups

Urinary bladder

A hollow organ made of transitional epithelium that stores urine and forces it into the urethra

Urinary tract infection (UTI)

Causes urination that is frequent, painful, and with pelvic pain when infectious agents like bacteria are in the urinary tract