Urinary system
The organs that produce, store, and eliminate urine, chiefly the kidneys, ureters, urinary bladder, and urethra.
Nephron: The kidney’s microscopic functional unit, which filters blood and modifies the resulting fluid into urine. Nephrons perform the filtration and processing that begin urine production.
Kidney: A paired organ that filters blood, regulates fluid and electrolyte balance, and produces urine. The kidneys are the urinary system’s principal urine-producing organs.
Urinalysis: Laboratory examination of urine for physical, chemical, and microscopic features. Urine findings can reveal infections, kidney problems, and systemic disease.
Reproductive system: The organs and structures involved in producing gametes and enabling reproduction. It shares some anatomical pathways with the urinary system, especially in males.
Glomerular filtration: The movement of water and small solutes from blood in glomerular capillaries into the nephron. This first step transfers material from blood into the forming urine.
Urinary bladder: A hollow muscular organ that stores urine until urination. The bladder holds urine between its arrival from the kidneys and its release.
Chronic kidney disease: A persistent loss of kidney structure or function, usually assessed over at least three months. It illustrates the long-term consequences of impaired urinary filtration.
Digestive system: The organs that ingest food, absorb nutrients, and eliminate undigested material. It eliminates solid waste, unlike the urinary system’s removal of dissolved wastes.
Tubular reabsorption: The recovery of water and useful substances from kidney tubules into the blood. It returns needed substances to circulation before urine leaves the kidneys.
Urethra: The tube that carries urine from the bladder to the exterior of the body. It provides the system’s exit route for urine.