Urinary System Facts
Interesting Urinary System Facts
Urinary system facts are actually more interesting that you probably think. Also, refereed to as your excretory system, this part of your body is actually quite important to your existence. Your urinary system eliminates metabolic waste in urine from out of your body but it also plays a key role in balancing your bodily fluids.
A Closer Look
One of the most interesting urinary system facts is that it helps you maintain your health in many ways. When you eat, the essential nutrients that are found in the food you just consumed are absorbed so that they can be distributed to various parts of your body that need them.
The remaining waste that is in your blood and bowel has to be disposed of. Therefore, your lungs, kidneys, skin and intestines all work together to evacuate these wastes out of your body. If this didn't happen, the waste would accumulate and you would be poisoned. Your urinary system works hard to rid your body of urea as well as other waste materials by producing urine so that they can easily be excreted. Even more importantly, your urinary system also controls how much water as well as mineral salts are absorbed back into your bloodstream.
Examining The Urinary System
To further understand and appreciate the many urinary system facts, it is helpful to examine each element as an individual. Your system is made up of two kidneys, one bladder, one urethra and two ureters. These all work together to keep your body functioning properly.
- Bladder – Housed in your pelvic region, this hollow, pear-shaped organ is held neatly in place by nothing more than ligaments. The muscles here constantly relax and contract. When they are relaxed, they are allowing urine to enter from your ureter so that it can be dismissed through your urethra. Around the opening of your bladder are circular sphincter muscles that prevent any urine from leaking out. In a healthy body, the bladder will not release any urine until it becomes full. It can comfortably hold half of a liter of urine for several hours.
- Kidneys – Yes, shaped like beans, you have two of these brownish-purple organs that are found directly below your ribcage, toward your back. One of the most fascinating urinary system facts is that your kidneys are made up of a plethora of nephrons which are infinitesimal filters that play a hug role in the elimination process. Blood is passed through your nephrons that contain metabolic waste. The urea is amazingly filtered out of your blood so that about 99 percent of the fluid is sent back through your body once it is cleaned of waste. The urea that was filtered out is mixed with waste materials, salts and water to form urine. Therefore, they produce urine and help maintain the salt and fluid balance in your body.
- Urethra – Once our bladder is full of urine, your nerves will send your brain signals that you need to urinate. Your brain responds by telling your bladder to contract the surrounding muscles until you are ready to relive yourself. The brain then sends a message to the muscles to relax so urine can be passed through the urethra.
- Ureters – These are tube-like structures that connect your bladder to your kidneys. They essentially work like pipes to pass urine from one location to another. They also feature muscles that are constantly relaxing and contracting as well to force urine downward. Every 10 seconds, urine trickles down these tubes to your bladder, slowing filling it back up to be relieved again.