Activity 1 – Human Torso

Each group should get one human torso to complete the following activity.

The urinary system includes the organs involved in making urine, the kidneys, the organ involved in storing it, the bladder, and structures or tubes involved in conducting urine to the bladder from the kidneys, ureter, and to the outside, the urethra. At the completion of this activity you should be able to identify all major organs and structures involved in the urinary system.

1. Identify the abdominal cavity and remove the parts of the digestive tract to gain access to the urinary system. The kidneys are the bean-shaped organs found on either side of the inferior vena cava and the abdominal aorta. Which kidney is closer to the diaphragm? ____________________________.
2. Draw a representation of one of the kidneys.

3. Try replacing the liver in its position. Which liver lobe is associated with which kidney? How do the lobes affect the position of the kidneys? __________________________________________

4. Describe the position of the kidneys in relations to the IVC and the aorta.

5. Identify the adrenal glands. These glands are endocrine glands secreting their products such as epinephrine and norepinephrine, in the blood stream. What do they look like?

6. Identify the renal arteries (red) and the renal veins (blue) as they enter or exit the kidneys at the kidney hilum. In the diagram drawn above draw the renal artery and renal vein as they enter (artery) and exit (vein) the kidney hilum. The hilum is the indentation where the structures connect to the kidneys.

7. Urine leaves the kidneys via the ureter, tube-like structures connecting the kidneys with the bladder. Identify and follow the ureters as they head to the bladder. They conduct urine from the kidneys to the bladder for storage. Urine travels down the ureter via ________________________ (the same action used for food down the esophagus). The ureter crosses the ____________ and ____________ (blood vessels) as they continue into the pelvic cavity.

8. The bladder is a muscular sac for storage of urine. It is located on the floor of the pelvic cavity together with ________________(name another structure or organ located there).

9. All the structures mentioned above are located behind the peritoneum. They are said to be retroperitoneal. List at least six (6) retroperitoneal structures below.

Activity 2 – The kidneys
Use one of the kidney models to complete this activity.
1. The kidney is enclosed by the fibrous capsule which is made up of dense, irregular connective tissue. In its position, the kidneys are held in place and protected by renal fat pads, renal fascia, and the peritoneum. On the model, what color is the capsule? ____________

2. Below the capsule is the renal cortex. This is where the renal corpuscles, PCT, DCT of each nephron are located and where most of the processing involved in urine formation takes place. What is the color of the cortex? _____________________________________. The long red structures in the cortex are the branches of the renal artery as they carry blood to each nephron.

3. Observe there are darker red triangular structures below the cortex. These are called renal pyramids and they are located in the renal medulla, the third layer of each kidney. Each pyramid has several loops of Henle connected to a collecting duct. How many pyramids are there in your model? ___________________________. Identify the collecting duct, if one is present. Where does it begin, in the cortex or the medulla? ___________________

4. The collecting duct ends in the renal papilla, the most inferior part of each pyramid. Each papilla empties its content into a minor calyx. How many papillae are there? ________________ Based on the number of papillae, how many minor calyxes are there?__________________
5. Identify the minor calyxes and follow each one into the major calyx it empties into. Each kidney has between 5 – 14 minor calyxes and 2-3 major calyces. How many major calyxes are there in your model? _____________________

6. Major calyxes empty into the renal pelvis, funnel-shaped structure leading to each ureter. How many renal pelvises are there? ______________

7. Examine the cortex and the medulla one more time. Observe segments of the cortex can be found between pyramids. These segments are called renal columns. Blood vessels will pass through these columns are they supply and drain each nephron. How many columns are there? _____________________

8. Begin with the renal artery and follow the various branches as they supply each nephron with blood. List the blood arteries below.

9. List the veins as they drain each nephron and return blood to the renal vein.

10. Draw a nephron and label the various parts of the nephron.

Activity 3 – Fetal Pig Dissection

1. Retract the organs of the digestive tract to gain access to the urinary system. Observe the two bean shaped kidneys on either side of the peritoneal cavity. Are they at the same level? Is this similar or different in humans. ________________________
2. The kidneys and other nearby structures are behind the peritoneum. Use a pair of forceps to try to lift the thin parietal peritoneum away from the kidney to. Identify other structures found beneath the parietal peritoneum. ______________________________________________________________________________
3. These structures listed above are said to be ________________________________ because they are found behind the peritoneum.
4. Identify the abdominal artery and the IVC. Describe the position of the IVC in relations to the abdominal artery. ______________________________________
5. Examine the renal arteries and renal veins as they enter (the artery) and exit (vein) the hilum of the each kidney. Name one other structure that exits the kidney through the hilum. This structure will become the ureter. ____________________
6. Follow the ureters as they proceed to the bladder. The bladder is a long muscular structure between two blood vessels, the umbilical arteries. Palpate and feel the musculature of the bladder. What type of muscles make up the bladder? _________________________
7. Follow the lower or inferior portion of the bladder. This will eventually become the urethra leading to the urogenital open in male fetal pigs and genital papilla in female pigs.