Systems Biology
The excretory system plays a crucial role in eliminating metabolic waste from the body, with the renal system being its most essential component. The kidneys, located in the back of the abdominal cavity, are responsible for filtering blood to remove waste, excess water, and solutes, forming urine. Urine leaves the kidneys through the ureters and travels to the urinary bladder for storage. The detrusor muscle controls urination by relaxing to store urine and contracting to push urine out of the bladder. Urine exits the body through the urethra, which is controlled by two sphincters: the internal urethral sphincter (a smooth muscle) and the external urethral sphincter (a skeletal muscle). The micturition reflex coordinates the process of emptying the bladder, with the parasympathetic nervous system stimulating contraction of the detrusor muscle and relaxation of the internal urethral sphincter.
The kidneys consist of an outer layer called the renal cortex and an inner area known as the renal medulla. The renal pelvis drains the renal medulla. Microscopic functional units of the kidney called nephrons remove waste from the blood and reabsorb water into the body. Blood travels through the renal portal system, which is composed of two capillary beds: the glomerulus (where blood is filtered into the nephron) and the peritubular capillaries/vasa recta (essential in maintaining a steady concentration of water and salt in the kidney).
Lesson Outline
<ul> <li>Excretory system <ul> <li>Eliminates metabolic waste from the body</li> <li>Renal system - essential component of the excretory system</li> </ul> </li> <li>Renal system <ul> <li>Kidneys - filter blood to remove waste, excess water, and solutes to form urine</li> <li>Ureters - transport urine from kidneys to urinary bladder</li> <li>Urinary bladder - stores urine</li> <li>Detrusor muscle - muscle within the walls of the bladder that controls urination</li> <li>Urethra - urine exits the body, controlled by two sphincters</li> <li>Micturition reflex - coordinates emptying of the bladder</li> </ul> </li> <li>Kidney structure <ul> <li>Renal cortex - outer layer of the kidney</li> <li>Renal medulla - inner area of the kidney</li> <li>Renal pelvis - drains the renal medulla</li> </ul> </li> <li>Nephrons - microscopic functional units of the kidney <ul> <li>Remove waste from blood and reabsorb water into the body</li> <li>Renal portal system - composed of two capillary beds</li> </ul> </li><ul><ul> <li>Glomerulus - where blood is filtered into the nephron</li> <li>Peritubular capillaries/vasa recta - maintains steady concentration of water and salt in the kidney</li>
Don't stop here!
Get access to 71 more Systems Biology lessons & 8 more full MCAT courses with one subscription!
FAQs
The primary components of the excretory system in renal anatomy include the kidneys, ureters, urinary bladder, and urethra. The kidneys play a key role in filtering waste products from the blood, which is then transported through the ureters to the urinary bladder for temporary storage. The urethra is responsible for excreting urine from the urinary bladder to the outside of the body.
Within the renal anatomy, the kidneys play a vital role in maintaining overall body homeostasis by filtering waste products and excess substances from the bloodstream. The renal cortex, an outer layer of the kidney, houses important structures such as the renal corpuscles and the proximal and distal tubules of the nephrons. These structures actively participate in filtration, reabsorption, and secretion processes, ultimately resulting in the production of urine.
Within the urinary bladder, the detrusor muscle serves as a smooth muscle layer that contracts during the process of micturition, or urination. This contraction helps generate pressure within the bladder, which is essential for expelling urine out of the body. The micturition reflex is a coordinated response between the autonomic and somatic nervous systems that control the emptying of the urinary bladder when it reaches a certain level of fullness.
The internal urethral sphincter is a smooth muscle located at the junction between the bladder and the urethra. It is under involuntary control by the autonomic nervous system and remains contracted most of the time to keep urine from leaking out of the bladder. Meanwhile, the external urethral sphincter is a skeletal muscle surrounding the urethra and is under voluntary control. It provides additional control over the release of urine, preventing leakage in situations of increased abdominal pressure, such as during coughing or lifting heavy objects.
The micturition reflex is a coordinated process between the autonomic and somatic nervous systems, which control the emptying of the urinary bladder. When the bladder is sufficiently full, stretch receptors within its wall are activated and send signals to the spinal cord and brain. In response, the parasympathetic nervous system contracts the detrusor muscle and relaxes the internal urethral sphincter. Simultaneously, the somatic nervous system relaxes the external urethral sphincter, enabling urine to flow from the bladder through the urethra and exit the body.
