Urinary System – Physiology (Nursing)

The urinary system is one of the ways the body eliminates metabolic wastes, maintains proper blood pressure, and avoids the toxic buildup of certain substances. It’s important to know how the urinary system functions because it provides clues about the state of other physiological functions, such as the cardiovascular system, blood pressure, and metabolism. Changes to these functions can be seen in how urine is produced or not produced.

In this course, we’ll review the basic anatomy and physiology of the urinary system. You will learn how urine is produced and how the body can adjust urine concentrations under different physiologic demands.

We’ll also discuss the different functions of the various parts of the urinary system, as well concepts such as glomerular filtration rate, tubular reabsorption, and countercurrent exchange.