Urinary System

These flashcards cover the fundamental vocabulary related to the urinary system, its functions, and anatomical components that are essential for understanding urine formation and kidney regulation.

Urinary System

The major excretory system of the body, responsible for the production and elimination of urine.

Kidneys

Bean-shaped organs that filter blood, produce urine, and regulate various bodily functions.

Ureters

Tubes that transport urine from the kidneys to the urinary bladder.

Urinary Bladder

A hollow muscular container that stores urine until expelled from the body.

Urethra

The tube that conveys urine from the bladder to the outside of the body.

Nephron

The functional and histological unit of the kidney, involved in urine formation.

Glomerular Capsule

The outer layer of the renal corpuscle that encloses the glomerulus.

Filtration

The process in which blood pressure forces fluid and small molecules out of the blood into the glomerular capsule.

Tubular Reabsorption

The process of moving water and solutes from the filtrate back into the blood.

Tubular Secretion

The movement of substances from the blood into the filtrate.

Renal Corpuscle

The filtration unit of a nephron, consisting of the glomerulus and the glomerular capsule.

Juxtaglomerular Apparatus

A specialized structure that regulates blood pressure and filtration rate.

Erythropoietin

A hormone secreted by the kidneys that stimulates red blood cell synthesis.

Antidiuretic Hormone (ADH)

A hormone that increases the reabsorption of water in the kidneys, influencing urine concentration.

Aldosterone

A hormone that increases sodium reabsorption and potassium secretion in the distal convoluted tubule.

Countercurrent Mechanism

A process that involves the flow of fluid in opposite directions in the nephron loop, contributing to urine concentration.

Renal Blood Flow Rate

The rate at which blood flows through the kidneys, typically around 1,176 mL/min.

Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR)

The amount of filtrate produced by the kidneys per minute, typically about 180 L/day.

Micturition Reflex

The reflex that causes the contraction of the bladder and relaxation of the urethral sphincters leading to urination.

Uremia

A condition involving elevated levels of urea and other waste products in the blood due to kidney dysfunction.