A&P Quiz: The Urinary System

SHORT ANSWER: List 3 of the 4 major roles carried out by the kidneys and describe their importance to the body.

1) filter blood; this is important because it prevents the buildup of waste in the bloodstream 2) collect waste in ducts; see previous answer 3) produce hormones; these hormones make red blood cells, promotes bone health, and regulates blood pressure 4) balance electrolytes (salts and fluids); this keeps the levels of electrolytes stable and healthy

SHORT ANSWER: Describe the anatomy and physiology of kidney filtration.

Each kidney is made up of about a million filtering units called nephrons. The nephron's filter is called the glomerulus, which lets fluid and waste products pass through it, but prevents blood cells and large blood cells and proteins from passing through. The filtered fluid passes through the tubule and is sent back into the blood stream, while the waste products are sent through the ureter into the bladder.

SHORT ANSWER: Describe the location of the kidneys in the body and speculate as to why they are where they are.

The kidneys are located on either side of the body underneath the diaphragm near the lower back. The kidneys are where they are so that they are protected by the rib cage because they are so important.

SHORT ANSWER: What are the main functions of the urinary system?

The main function of the urinary system is to remove liquid waste from the blood through urine, maintain a balance of salts in the blood, and produce erythropoietin.

SHORT ANSWER: Describe the general structure and function of the ureters, bladder, and urethra.

Ureters: these are tubes that carry urine from the kidney to the urinary bladder. There is one attached to each kidney about 10-12 inches long. Bladder: this is a muscular sac in the pelvis that stores urine and allows urination to be infrequent and voluntary. The muscles that line it allow it to stretch. Urethra: tube that carries urine and other secretions from the bladder to outside of the body; the wall is lined with mucous membranes and contained a thick layer of muscle tissue

MATCHING: a substance that produces an electrically conducing solution when dissolved in water

electrolyte

MATCHING: a cluster of capillaries around the end of a kidney tubule, where the waste products are filtered from the blood

glomerulus

MATCHING: functional unit of the kidney; filters blood

nephron

MATCHING: a pair of organs in the abdominal cavity of mammals that excrete urine

kidneys

MATCHING: the discharge of urine from the bladder

micturition

MATCHING: these arise off the side of the abdominal aorta and supply the kidneys with blood

renal artery

MATCHING: tough fibrous layer surrounding the kidney and covered in a thick layer of perinephric adipose tissue

renal capsule

MATCHING: the duct by which urine is conveyed out of the body from the bladder

urethra

MATCHING: one of the two muscles use to control the exit of urine in the urinary bladder through the urethra

urethral sphincter

MATCHING: liquid by-product of the body secreted by the kidneys through a process called urination and excreted through the urethra

urine