21.1: Introduction

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Page ID: 53830

Rosanna Hartline
West Hills College Lemoore

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Introduction

The urinary system is one of excretion, elimination and reabsorption. It is made from four organs, only one of which produces urine (the kidney). Nephrons, the smallest functional unit of the kidneys, are found in numbers of one to two million within the kidney and can filter up to 400 gallons of cycled blood, daily! The kidneys receive more blood than the heart, liver, or even the brain and have vital functions such as the regulation of pH, blood pressure, concentration of blood solutes and concentration of red blood cells. The remaining three organs (ureters, urinary bladder, and urethra) facilitate urine storage and secretion. Of these organs, only the urethra is anatomically distinct between males and females.

Overview of the organs of the urinary system. Adrenal gland, Kidney, Ureter, Bladder, Prostate, Urethra, Urethra

Above: Overview of the anatomy of the urinary system (left) male and (right) female.

The kidneys execute many of the urinary system functions including the formation of urine. The other urinary organs, the ureters, urinary bladder, and urethra, function primarily as a means of eliminating urine from the body.

Cadaver image of urinary organs

Above: Cadaver image of urinary anatomy. Kidneys are shown sectioned.

Attributions

"Human Anatomy Lab Manual" by Malgosia Wilk-Blaszczak, Mavs Open Press, University of Texas at Arlington is licensed under CC BY 4.0
"Urinary System (Female).png" by BruceBlaus is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
"UrinarySystemMale.jpg" by BruceBlaus is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 / A derivative from the original work