Urinary system: what it is, main organs and how it works

The urinary system is made up of the kidneys, ureters, bladder and urethra. Its function is basically to filter the blood to eliminate toxins and metabolic remains through urine, maintaining homeostasis, that is, healthy body fluids. The main characteristics of each part of this system are:

• 2 Kidneys: The kidneys have a bean shape, measure on average 12 x 6 x 3 cm in adults, and weigh around 150 g each. The kidneys are located on either side of the spine, and the right kidney is slightly lower than the left because of the position of the liver. The kidneys are covered by a fibrous capsule formed of adipose tissue, which protects the kidneys from trauma. The kidneys can be divided into: cortex and medulla. The cortex has vascular structures, the renal corpuscles, where the blood is filtered. In just one day, the kidneys produce 1-2 liters of urine by filtering 180 liters of blood. 2 Ureters: These are two tubes that connect the kidney to the bladder. The ureters perform peristaltic movements to conduct 'urine' to the bladder. Bladder: It is a pouch that stores urine, it has a muscular layer called muscular tunic. Empty it is pear-shaped and full it is ball-shaped. The bladder can store up to 800 ml of urine. Urethra: It is a tube that conducts urine from the bladder out of the body, being a little different in men and women. In women it only serves to excrete urine, but in men it also leads to ejaculation.

The kidneys filter all body blood in a few minutes, which is a continuous process. Blood reaches the kidney through the abdominal aorta, which branches and forms the renal arteries, and the inferior vena cava also divides and forms the renal vena cava.

Male urinary system

The difference between the male and female urinary systems is that in men the urethra has a dual function, passing urine and semen. The male urethra is divided into: prostatic (3-4 cm), membranous (1-2 cm) and penile (about 15 cm).

Female urinary system

The female urethra is different from the male urethra by only carrying urine out of the body. It ends close to the external environment and is more likely to be contaminated with microorganisms present inside the vagina and anal area, which is why urinary tract infection is more common in women.

Urinary system functions

The main function of the urinary system is to filter the blood, in order to maintain the hydroelectrolytic balance, maintaining in ideal quantities water and electrolytes, such as sodium, chloride, potassium and others. However, this system is also responsible for maintaining the blood pH, and for maintaining blood pressure, since it regulates the amount of water that is present in the blood.

Possible diseases of the urinary system

The most common diseases of the urinary system are:

1. Urinary infection

It occurs when microorganisms from the external environment enter the urethra and reach the bladder, causing symptoms such as pain and burning when urinating. The treatment is done with antibiotics prescribed by the doctor, but when it is not carried out at the very beginning of the symptoms, the microorganisms continue to proliferate and rise, reaching the kidneys and ureters. Learn how to identify and treat urinary tract infection.

2. Nephritis

It is when microorganisms reach the kidneys causing symptoms such as weakness, back pain, high fever with chills and drops of blood in the urine. Treatment is done with antibiotics prescribed by the doctor. Learn more details, types, symptoms and treatment of nephritis.

3. Renal failure

It happens when the kidneys do not filter the blood properly, with complications such as blood acidity and increased blood pressure. This situation needs to be reversed as soon as possible, because it is a serious disease, in some cases it is possible to cure with medications, but in certain cases, the person may need to filter the blood through a hemodialysis device, every day or 2-3 times a week. In some cases it can become a chronic disease. Learn how to identify and treat kidney failure.