The Urinary and Digestive Systems

Urinary System- Basic Function Removes waste products from the blood It regulates blood pH, ion balance, and water balance It also functions to remove urea from the blood Urea is produced when foods containing protein (ex. meat, poultry) are broken down in the body

A basic photo

The System First, the blood travels to the kidney via the renal artery There are two kidneys If the first half of the kidney is removed, it is possible to see different regions of the kidney The most external region in the kidney is the renal cortex Many tubes and blood vessels make this region appear red Deep into the kidney is the renal medulla This a darker red The nephrons are located in the renal medulla and the cortex

The whole function of the kidney happens in its functional unit, the nephron

The Nephron

Continued The urine is created, with aid of the nephron, and it flows through the renal pelvis and through the ureter The urine is stored in the urinary bladder There is a sphincter located on the urinary bladder The urine eventually exits the body through the urethra

The Digestive System

The Function of the Digestive System The breakdown of food (digestion) The absorption of nutrients (absorption)

Step-by-Step The first main step is swallowing the food or liquid This step is voluntary, but once the process begins it is involuntary and is controlled under the nervous system The mouth digests food chemically and mechanically After the food is swallowed, the soft plate blocks the upper pharynx to avoid food from entering into the nasal cavity Many muscles in this region contract, forcing the food down into the throat

Continued The food makes contact with the epiglottis, a flap, the prevents food from entering into the respiratory area The esophagus, which connects the throat with the stomach is the next stop in which the food goes through The food is pushed through the esophagus by peristalsis Where the stomach and the esophagus connect there is a ring like sphincter that allows food to come in, but doesn’t allow food to splash out

Continued The stomach completes 3 mechanical tasks: stores, mixes, empties First, the stomach stores food in the upper portion This requires the stomach to relax and accept a large amount of food Then, the lower part of the stomach mixes up the food Chemical digestion also happens here with the aid of digestive juices Then, the stomach empties the food via a sphincter

Continued Then, the food is chemically digested with digestive fluids from the pancreas, liver, and gall bladder The food is chemically broken down by the three organs above in the three areas of the small intestine: the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum Bile is secreted into the small intestine through the liver and other fluids enter through the pancreas Digestive fluids are also secreted by the gall bladder The majority of absorption occurs in the villi and microvilli of the small intestine

Villi and Microvilli They increase the surface are of the small intestine, improving its absorption quality

Continued Next, the wastes are now in the colon (large intestine) and the stool is created It first passes through the cecum and the various region of the large intestine and absorbs a lot of water and salts The stool leaves the body through the rectum (where the feces is stored), via a sphincter

Review- Digestive System

Review- Urinary System

Questions Which system is related to the urinary system? The cardiovascular system is most related to the urinary system because the urinary system essentially filter the blood, creating urine, and then excreting it. Note: this is not the digestive system What body cavity does the urinary system lie in? The urinary system lies in the abdominal pelvic cavity

Questions What system is related to the digestive system? The nervous system controls the involuntary portion of the digestive system. What body cavity is the digestive system in? The digestive system is in the abdominal pelvic cavity and the thoracic cavity.

The End