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Description of the urinary system

The urinary system works with the lungs, skin and intestines to maintain the balance of chemicals and water in the body. Adults consume about 27 to 68 ounces of fluid (800 to 2,000 milliliters) per day based on a daily fluid of 68 ounces (two liters), the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Other substances in the urinary system include fluid lost through sweating and breathing. In addition, certain types of medications, such as diuretics, sometimes used to treat high blood pressure, can also affect the amount of urine produced by a person. Other beverages, such as coffee and alcohol, can also increase the frequency of urination in some people.

The main organs of the urinary system are the kidneys, which are the bean-shaped organs found just below the ribs in the middle of the back. The kidneys remove urea - a by-product of protein-depleted waste - into the bloodstream through small filtration units called nephrons, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Each nephron has a ball made up of small capillaries of blood, called glomerulus, and a small tube called the renal tubule. Urea, mixed with water and other waste products, forms urine as it passes through the lungs and down through the kidney bones.

From the kidneys, urine flows down two small tubes, called ureters, into the bladder. Retailers are about 8 to 10 inches long (20 to 25 inches), according to a Cleveland clinic.

The muscles in the walls of the ureter continue to tighten and relax to force urine away from the kidneys, according to the NIH. Urinary retention can cause kidney infection. Small amounts of urine are excreted in the bladder from the ureters every 10 to 15 seconds.

The other is an empty organ, shaped like a balloon in the thigh. It is caused by glands connected to other organs and pelvic bones, according to the Kidney & Urology Foundation of America. The bladder stores urine until the brain signs the bladder that the person is ready to pass. A normal, healthy bladder can hold 16 ounces (about half a liter) of urine comfortably for two to five hours.

To prevent leakage, sphincters are tightly closed to open the bladder into the urethra, a tube that allows urine to pass through the body. The only difference between the female and male urinary system is the length of the urethra, according to the Merck Manuals. In women, the urethra is about 1.5 to 2 inches long (3.8 to 5.1 cm) and lies between the clitoris and the vagina. In males, it is about 8 inches [8 cm] long, running the length of the penis and opening at the end of the penis. Male urine is used to eliminate urine and semen during urination.