THE UROGENITAL SYSTEM 



The reproductive and excretory organs are closely asso- 

 ciated in structure and function, and are therefore col- 

 lectively termed the urogenital, or urinogenital, system. In 

 dissecting the urogenital organs be careful not to cut the 

 blood vessels, which will be studied later. 



The two kidneys are the two principal excretory organs 

 of the body. The renal arteries carry the blood to the 

 kidneys, where urea, salts, excess water, etc. are removed 

 from the blood, which then passes to the inferior vena 

 cava through the renal veins. Each kidney is a bean-shaped 

 organ, covered ventrally by peritoneum, and attached to 

 the dorsal wall of the abdomen. The hilum, or depression 

 where the renal blood vessels and ureter enter, is on the 

 median surface. The dorsal surface is flattened, the ven- 

 tral surface is convex. The anterior end of the right kid- 

 ney fits into the concave surface of the right lateral lobe 

 of the liver. The left kidney is displaced caudad, so that 

 its hilum is slightly posterior to the level of the posterior 

 end of the right kidney. This displacement is probably 

 due to the presence of the stomach on the left side of 

 the body. The ureter is the tubule which conveys the urine 

 from the kidney to the urinary bladder. Find where it 

 leaves the hilum of the kidney and trace it back to the 

 bladder. 



The suprarenal gland is a somewhat hemispherical body 

 immediately anterior to each kidney. It lacks a duct. The 

 secretion {adrenalin) known as an internal secretion, en- 

 ters the blood, which carries it to those parts of the body 

 where it performs its functions. 



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