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Urinary system
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The urinary system is the body's drainage system: its job is to get urine out, and urine is really just two things, waste products and extra fluid.
There are two kidneys, and they are shaped like beans. The ureters are two thin, muscular tubes, and their job is to carry urine to the bladder, which is where it is stored. And the urethra is the tube that urine leaves through.
What is interesting is that the outlet is not open all the time. Two sets of muscles form what is called a sphincter, a ring that squeezes the urethra shut the way a drawstring closes the mouth of a bag, so urine stays in the bladder between one trip to the bathroom and the next. And for urination to be normal, all of these parts have to work together.
In brief
The urinary system is the body's drainage system for removing urine, which is made of waste products and extra fluid.
It is made up of two bean-shaped kidneys, two ureters (thin muscular tubes that carry urine to the bladder), the bladder, and the urethra.
All of these parts must work together for normal urination, and two sets of muscles form a sphincter that closes the urethra and holds urine in the bladder between trips to the bathroom.
Sources (1)
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney DiseasesThe Urinary Tract & How It Works
This page explains the topic in general terms; it does not tell anyone what treatment to follow.
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