Renal Physiology

Introduction: The urinary system, also called the urethra or urinary system, includes the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra. The purpose of the urinary system is to remove waste from the body, regulate blood volume and blood pressure, regulate electrolytes and metabolism levels, and regulate blood pH. The urethra is the body's drainage system that allows urine to pass out. The kidneys are supplied with a large amount of blood through the renal arteries that leave the kidneys through the renal arteries. Each kidney contains functional units called nephrons. After the blood is filtered and further processed, the waste products are excreted through the urethra, tubes made of smooth muscle fibers, which divert the urine to the bladder, where it is stored and then excreted through the urine. The female and male urinary systems are very similar, only differing in the length of the urethra.