Urinary System Overview

Flashcards covering key vocabulary related to the urinary system and its functions.

Urinary System

A system responsible for the production and excretion of urine, as well as conserving water and maintaining homeostasis.

Kidneys

The major excretory organs of the urinary system responsible for filtering blood and producing urine.

Urinary Tract

The pathway that carries urine from the kidneys to the outside of the body, consisting of the ureters, urinary bladder, and urethra.

Ureters

Tubes that connect the kidneys to the urinary bladder, carrying urine formed in the kidneys.

Urinary Bladder

A temporary storage container for urine before it is expelled from the body.

Urethra

The tube that controls the expulsion of urine from the urinary bladder to the outside of the body.

Filtrate

The initial fluid formed in the kidneys by filtering blood plasma, minus proteins.

Urine

The final product of renal processing, primarily made of water, electrolytes, and metabolic waste, which is excreted from the body.

Erythropoiesis

The production of red blood cells, stimulated by the hormone erythropoietin produced by the kidneys.

Angiotensin II

A hormone involved in regulating fluid balance and blood pressure by affecting blood volume and peripheral resistance.

Homeostasis

The maintenance of stable internal conditions in the body, which the kidneys help regulate in terms of fluid, electrolyte, and acid-base balance.

Gluconeogenesis

The metabolic process of generating glucose from non-carbohydrate substrates, also a function of the kidneys.