Ch. 12 Urinary System Key Terms
What is the bladder?
A hollow, muscular sac that receives urine from the ureters and stores it until it is eliminated from the body.
What is Bowman's capsule?
A C-shaped structure that surrounds the glomerulus and is the start of the convoluted tubule in the nephron.
What is the cortex?
The outer section of the kidney that contains most of the nephrons, which aid in the production of urine.
What is the excretory system?
The urinary system, which is responsible for removing certain wastes and excess water from the body and maintaining the body's acid-base or pH balance.
What is the glomerulus?
A cluster of capillaries within the Bowman's capsule where blood passes through and is filtered.
What is the hilum?
A notched or indented area on the medial surface of the kidney through which the ureters, nerves, blood vessels, and lymph vessels enter and leave.
What is homeostasis?
A state of equilibrium or constant state of natural balance in the internal environment of the body.
What are the kidneys?
Two bean-shaped organs that filter the blood to remove waste products and produce urine, located on either side of the vertebral column.
What is the medulla?
The inner section of the kidney that contains most of the collecting tubules.
What are nephrons?
Microscopic filtering units located in the kidneys; each consists of a glomerulus, a Bowman's capsule, and various tubules.
What is the renal pelvis?
A funnel-shaped structure that is the first section of the ureter and receives urine from the collecting ducts/tubules.
What are the ureters?
Two muscular tubes, approximately 10–12 inches in length, that carry urine from the renal pelvis of each kidney to the urinary bladder.
What is the urethra?
The tube that carries the urine from the bladder to the outside of the body.
What is the urethral meatus?
The external opening of the urethra.
What is the urinary system?
The body system composed of the kidneys, two ureters, one bladder, and one urethra; also known as the excretory system.
What is urine?
The liquid waste product produced by the urinary system, composed of approximately 95% water and dissolved waste products like urea, uric acid, and creatinine.
What is void?
The act of emptying the bladder.