Urinary System : Meanings of Some Commonly Used Terms

Vocabulary of Urinary System:

We come across some terms in Urinary System, we need to know the meaning of those terms for better understanding of the Urinary System:

Term : Meaning

Arteriole : A small artery

Bowman’s Capsule : Bowman’s Capsule is  a cup shaped capsule that surrounds each glomerulus

Calix or Calyx : Calyx is a cup like collecting region of the renal pelvis

Catheter : A catheter is a tube for injecting or removing fluids

Cortex : Cortex is the outer region of each kidney

Creatinine : Creatinine is the nitrogenous waste product of muscle metabolism, excreted in urine

Electrolyte : Electrolyte is a chemical that carries an electrical charge in a solution

Erythropoietin : Erythropoetin is a hormone secreted by the kidney to stimulate the production of red blood cells

Filtration : Filtration is a process whereby some substances, but not all, pass through a filter or other material

Glomerulus : Glomerulus are the tiny capillaries that are present in cortex region of the kidney

Hilus : Hilus means depression or pit in the part of an organ, where blood vessels and nerves are present

Kidneys : Kidneys are bean shaped organs that are located behind the abdominal cavity on the lateral side of the back bone in the lumbar region

Meatus : Meatus is the opening of the urethra in the body surface through which urine is discharged

Medulla : Medulla is the inner region of the kidney

Renal Artery : Renal artery carries blood to the kidneys

Renal Pelvis : Renal pelvis is the central collecting region in the kidney

Renal Tubules : Renal Tubules are the microscopic tubes in the kidney where urine is formed as water, sugar and salts are reabsorbed into the blood stream

Renal Vein : Renal vein carried blood away from the kidney

Renin : Renin is a hormone synthesized, stored and secreted by the kidney

Trigone : Trigone is the triangular area in the bladder where the ureters enter and the urethra exists

Urea : Urea is the major nitrogenous waste product excreted in urine

Ureter : Ureter is one of the two tubes leading from the kidney to the bladder

Urethra : Urethra is the tube leading from the bladder to the outside of the body

Uric acid : Uric acid is the nitrogenous waste excreted in the urine

Urinary Bladder : Urinary bladder is the sac that holds urine temporarily

Voiding : Expelling Urine (Micturition)