1. Urethra. It is a duct that transmits urine from the bladder to the exterior of the body during urination. The urethra is held closed by the urethral sphincter, which is a muscular structure that helps keep urine in the bladder until voiding can occur.
Because the urethra is anatomically linked with the reproductive structures, its characteristics in males are quite different from those in females. The male’s urethra is about 18 to 20 cm (7 to 8 inches) long and passes along the length of the penis before emptying. The male urethra can be divided into three sections: the prostatic urethra (the uppermost segment within the prostate), the membranous urethra (the segment within the urethral sphincter), and the spongy urethra (the lowermost and longest section within the penis).
Meanwhile, the female urethra is embedded within the vaginal wall, and its opening is situated between the labia. The female urethra is much shorter than that of the male, being only 4 cm (1.5 inches) long. It begins at the bladder neck and opens to the outside just after passing through the urethral sphincter.
2. Kidney. These are two bean-shaped organs, each about the size of a fist. They are located just below the rib cage, one on each side of your spine. Your kidneys remove wastes and extra fluid from your body. Furthermore, kidneys remove acid that is produced by the cells of your body and maintains a healthy balance of water, salts, and minerals—such as sodium, calcium, phosphorus, and potassium—in your blood. Without this balance, nerves, muscles, and other tissues in your body may not work normally. Your kidneys can also make hormones that help control your blood pressure, make red blood cells, and keep your bones strong and healthy.
3. Urinary Bladder. It is a temporary storage reservoir for urine. It is located in the pelvic cavity, posterior to the symphysis pubis, and below the parietal peritoneum. The size and shape of the urinary bladder vary with the amount of urine it contains and with the pressure it receives from surrounding organs.
The inner lining of the urinary bladder is a mucous membrane of transitional epithelium that is continuous with that in the ureters.
The second layer in the walls is the submucosa, which supports the mucous membrane. It is composed of connective tissue with elastic fibers.
The next layer is muscular, which is composed of smooth muscle. The smooth muscle fibers are interwoven in all directions and, collectively, these are called the detrusor muscle. On the superior surface, the outer layer of the bladder wall is the parietal peritoneum. In all other regions, the outer layer is fibrous connective tissue.
FUN FACTS ABOUT THE URINARY SYSTEM:
1. The male and female urethras are different.
The female urethra is only about 1.5 inches long, while the male urethras are 7 to 8 inches long. The male urethra is also a conduit for semen. As the male urethra passes through the prostate gland, sperm and fluid enter it to be ejaculated. And because of the female urethra’s location and length, females are more prone to UTIs (urinary tract infections) than males.
2. Each kidney is about the size of your fist.
This translates to about 45 gallons per day. By the time you are 40 years old, your kidneys have filtered blood volume equivalent to an Olympic-size pool! And for an average 150- to 180-pound adult, the kidneys filter all the blood in their body once every 38 to 48 minutes.
3. The bladder can stretch to hold up to two cups of urine.
It is a balloon-like organ that sits low in the pelvis between the pelvic bones. While you can’t control the urine coming into your bladder, you do have control over releasing it. Most people first feel the urge to urinate when the bladder fills with about a cup of urine. Once you’re ready, muscles in the bladder wall squeeze and muscles at the outlet relax allowing urine to flow. How often you feel the urge depends on how much fluid you drink throughout the day and other factors.
4. Each ureter ranges from about 8 to 12 inches long.
Ureters run from each kidney to the bladder. Their length depends on how long your torso is. These tubes are about 0.25 inches wide with muscular walls. The walls squeeze small amounts of urine down from the kidneys into the bladder every 10 to 15 seconds.
5. The color of urine can tell you a lot.
Urine is mostly water, along with urea—a waste product—and various salts and minerals. It also contains urochrome, which gives it a yellowish color. The amount of urine you produce depends on several things, one of which is how much fluid you drink. When you’re drinking enough, urine should be a pale yellow. Dark urine can be a sign of dehydration. Urine can also turn colors, including red, pink, orange, brown, and even blue or green. Medications and foods may explain color changes. But strange colors or cloudy urine can also be a sign of a medical condition.
1. Urethra. It is a duct that transmits urine from the bladder to the exterior of the body during urination. The urethra is held closed by the urethral sphincter, which is a muscular structure that helps keep urine in the bladder until voiding can occur.
Because the urethra is anatomically linked with the reproductive structures, its characteristics in males are quite different from those in females. The male’s urethra is about 18 to 20 cm (7 to 8 inches) long and passes along the length of the penis before emptying. The male urethra can be divided into three sections: the prostatic urethra (the uppermost segment within the prostate), the membranous urethra (the segment within the urethral sphincter), and the spongy urethra (the lowermost and longest section within the penis).
Meanwhile, the female urethra is embedded within the vaginal wall, and its opening is situated between the labia. The female urethra is much shorter than that of the male, being only 4 cm (1.5 inches) long. It begins at the bladder neck and opens to the outside just after passing through the urethral sphincter.
2. Kidney. These are two bean-shaped organs, each about the size of a fist. They are located just below the rib cage, one on each side of your spine. Your kidneys remove wastes and extra fluid from your body. Furthermore, kidneys remove acid that is produced by the cells of your body and maintains a healthy balance of water, salts, and minerals—such as sodium, calcium, phosphorus, and potassium—in your blood. Without this balance, nerves, muscles, and other tissues in your body may not work normally. Your kidneys can also make hormones that help control your blood pressure, make red blood cells, and keep your bones strong and healthy.
3. Urinary Bladder. It is a temporary storage reservoir for urine. It is located in the pelvic cavity, posterior to the symphysis pubis, and below the parietal peritoneum. The size and shape of the urinary bladder vary with the amount of urine it contains and with the pressure it receives from surrounding organs.
The inner lining of the urinary bladder is a mucous membrane of transitional epithelium that is continuous with that in the ureters.
The second layer in the walls is the submucosa, which supports the mucous membrane. It is composed of connective tissue with elastic fibers.
The next layer is muscular, which is composed of smooth muscle. The smooth muscle fibers are interwoven in all directions and, collectively, these are called the detrusor muscle. On the superior surface, the outer layer of the bladder wall is the parietal peritoneum. In all other regions, the outer layer is fibrous connective tissue.
FUN FACTS ABOUT THE URINARY SYSTEM:
1. The male and female urethras are different.
The female urethra is only about 1.5 inches long, while the male urethras are 7 to 8 inches long. The male urethra is also a conduit for semen. As the male urethra passes through the prostate gland, sperm and fluid enter it to be ejaculated. And because of the female urethra’s location and length, females are more prone to UTIs (urinary tract infections) than males.
2. Each kidney is about the size of your fist.
This translates to about 45 gallons per day. By the time you are 40 years old, your kidneys have filtered blood volume equivalent to an Olympic-size pool! And for an average 150- to 180-pound adult, the kidneys filter all the blood in their body once every 38 to 48 minutes.
3. The bladder can stretch to hold up to two cups of urine.
It is a balloon-like organ that sits low in the pelvis between the pelvic bones. While you can’t control the urine coming into your bladder, you do have control over releasing it. Most people first feel the urge to urinate when the bladder fills with about a cup of urine. Once you’re ready, muscles in the bladder wall squeeze and muscles at the outlet relax allowing urine to flow. How often you feel the urge depends on how much fluid you drink throughout the day and other factors.
4. Each ureter ranges from about 8 to 12 inches long.
Ureters run from each kidney to the bladder. Their length depends on how long your torso is. These tubes are about 0.25 inches wide with muscular walls. The walls squeeze small amounts of urine down from the kidneys into the bladder every 10 to 15 seconds.
5. The color of urine can tell you a lot.
Urine is mostly water, along with urea—a waste product—and various salts and minerals. It also contains urochrome, which gives it a yellowish color. The amount of urine you produce depends on several things, one of which is how much fluid you drink. When you’re drinking enough, urine should be a pale yellow. Dark urine can be a sign of dehydration. Urine can also turn colors, including red, pink, orange, brown, and even blue or green. Medications and foods may explain color changes. But strange colors or cloudy urine can also be a sign of a medical condition.
SOURCES:
https://training.seer.cancer.gov/anatomy/urinary/components/
https://www.britannica.com/science/urethra
https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/kidney-disease/kidneys-how-they-work
https://training.seer.cancer.gov/anatomy/urinary/components/bladder.html#:~:text=The%20urinary%20bladder%20is%20a,it%20receives%20from%20surrounding%20organs.
https://www.healthgrades.com/right-care/kidneys-and-the-urinary-system/7-surprising-facts-about-the-urinary-tract