Urination

Description

Urine is a liquid waste product that forms in your two kidneys, goes down your ureters and into your bladder, and leaves your body through your urethra. The outer portion of each kidney is the cortex; the inner portion is the medulla. Each kidney has about one million parts called nephrons. Each nephron has a glomerulus, a microscopic ball of blood vessels that is connected to a renal tubule, a twisting tube. The blood vessels in your glomeruli are porous, acting as filters to remove most of the water, salt, and waste from the blood that passes through them. These substances pass into the renal tubules, while large cells such as red blood cells cannot. The antidiuretic hormone (ADH) instructs the urinary system to conserve water. Some chemicals called diuretics affect the urinary system by causing frequent urination. Caffeine, some heart medications, and alcohol, which inhibit effects of ADH, can act as diuretics.

Runtime

3 min

Subjects

Genre

Date of Publication

[2013], c2010

Database

Films on Demand

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