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Human Urinary System

Introduction to Human Body Systems (Deanne Erdmann MS)

The urinary system, consisting of the kidneys, ureters, urinary bladder and urethra, is responsible for eliminating the majority of metabolic wastes from the body.

The functional unit of the kidney is the nephron. Each nephron is made of a cup-shaped portion called Bowman's capsule, tubules and a network of capillaries. Blood pressure within a knot of capillaries (called the glomerulus) increases, causing most of the fluid of the blood to enter Bowman's capsule. This fluid is called filtrate. As the filtrate passes through the tubule portion of the nephron, materials needed by the body are reabsorbed and the remainder of the filtrate becomes urine. Proper functioning of the kidney is essential to maintaining homeostatsis in the body.

Raven, P. H., & Johnson, G. B. (2002). Biology (6^th ed.). McGraw-Hill.


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