Lesson · S.1.10
The urinary system
How the kidneys filter blood into urine, and why this system works so closely with the cardiovascular system.
ObjectiveS.1.10Read2 minExam weightHuman Anatomy and Physiology ≈ 41% of Science
This lesson is part of the full Study Guide
Unlock every lesson, unit, and quiz across all four subjects. The Science human anatomy and physiology unit is included.
See editions and pricing →What you will be able to do
- Trace blood through the kidney, from the renal artery to the formation of urine.
- Distinguish filtration at the glomerulus from reabsorption at the proximal tubule.
- Explain how the kidneys and cardiovascular system regulate each other through blood pressure.
What the lesson concludes
- The nephron, not the kidney as a whole, is the functional unit doing the filtering.
- Filtrate forms at the glomerulus, reabsorption happens at the proximal tubule, a distinction the TEAS likes to test.
- Renal cortex is outer and vascular, renal medulla is inner and concentrates urine.
- A shorter urethra is why females have a higher rate of urinary tract infection than males.
- Kidneys do more than excrete waste: they also help set blood pressure through renin and red blood cell production through erythropoietin.