Urinary System Anatomy and Physiology

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering the organs, blood supply, nephron anatomy, filtration process, and hormonal regulation of the urinary system.

Retroperitoneal organs

Organs located behind the peritoneum, which describes the anatomical position of the kidneys between T12 & L3.

External urethral orifice

The opening through which the urethra passes out of the pelvic cavity in the female.

Renal cortex

The outer portion or layer of each kidney.

Renal medulla

The inner layer of each kidney that contains the renal pyramids, where urine production takes place.

Renal pyramids

Structures located in the renal medulla where nephrons filter blood from branches of the renal artery and urine production takes place.

Renal pelvis

The funnel-shaped structure in the kidney whose primary function is to receive and funnel urine into the ureter.

Renal artery

The blood vessel that carries blood into each kidney, branching into arterioles and tiny capillaries that interact with urinary structures.

Renal vein

The blood vessel through which filtered blood exits the kidneys after leaving the capillaries surrounding the nephrons.

Nephrons

Tiny structures located in the kidneys that process blood plasma to form urine.

Glomerulus

A capillary tuft of each nephron where blood delivered by arterioles is filtered.

Glomerular capsule

The structure surrounding the glomerulus through which blood plasma is filtered from capillaries into the renal tubule.

Renal tubule

A nephron structure consisting of three sections—the proximal convoluted tubule, the nephron loop, and the distal convoluted tubule—where absorption and secretion occur to produce urine.

Filtration membrane

The barrier in the nephron through which blood plasma is forced because blood pressure inside capillaries in the glomerulus is higher than in the surrounding capsular space.

Glomerular filtration rate

The amount of filtrate produced by the kidneys each minute, which averages $125\,\text{mL}$ per minutes.

Antidiuretic hormones (ADH)

Hormones released by the pituitary gland when the hypothalamus detects decreased water concentration in the blood that act to increase water reabsorption by the kidneys.

Average daily urine volume

A daily output averaging $1.4\,\text{litres}$, typically composed of $95\%$ water and $5\%$ waste.