The renal system (also known as the urinary system has many functions including: 

 

• Excretion of metabolic waste products produced by the cells

• Removal of hormones, drugs, and other foreign materials

• Regulation of water, electrolytes e.g. potassium, sodium etc and PH balance

• Regulates blood volume by controlling the amount of water removed from the blood

• Secretion of erythropoietin, a hormone that stimulates red blood cell formation in the bone marrow

• Vitamin D synthesis

• Regulates blood pressure

 

 

Organs of the renal system

 

• Kidneys

• Bladder

• Urethra

• Ureters

 

 

 

 

Kidneys

 

• Located near the middle of the back, one on either side of the spine

• Bean-shaped, about the size of a fist. Consist of an outer cortex and inner medulla

• Have a very rich blood supply, to allow blood to pass through in large amounts so that it can be filtered  to  remove all the waste products

• The main blood supply carrying blood to each kidney is called the renal artery

• The renal veins carry the cleaned blood away from each kidney

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bladder

 

• Hollow muscular organ located in the pelvic region

• Its size and shape varies on how much urine is stored in it

• Have two openings at the top where the ureters, which extend from the kidneys, drain urine into the bladder

• There is one opening at the bottom where the urethra allows the urine to pass from the bladder out of the body

• The female urethra lies in front of the anus and the vagina and is about 3.8cm long

• The male urethra runs through the penis and is about 20cm long