Unless they’re on a long car trip or cross-country flight, most people don’t give their urinary system a second thought. They should, though. A fully functioning urinary system is necessary for an active, healthy life. The system filters extra water and waste products, such as salts and proteins, from the blood to help maintain proper fluid balance inside the body. This waste is then excreted in the form of urine.
For a look at the structures and functions of the urinary system, download our free infographic that details the organs in the system and the specifics of kidney function.
The kidneys are the workhorses of the urinary system and have been compared to water filters. In a typical human, the kidneys filter 45 gallons of blood a day–that’s 1/2 cup of blood per minute! How is this accomplished? Each kidney has approximately 1.5 million nephrons, infiltrated by blood vessels for the exchange of waste. Researchers have estimated that a person only needs about 300,000 working nephrons to filter blood adequately. That’s why you can live normally with just one kidney.
To get a view of kidney structure, we offer a human kidney model, a human kidney, nephron and renal corpuscle model, as well as an urogenital comparative model showing both the male and female anatomy. For a hands-on examination, try a Carolina’s Perfect Solution® pig kidney dissection with the aid of our dissection mat. It provides students with the opportunity for a safe and successful dissection experience and frees up your time for questions. In addition, have students explore the histology of the kidney with our urinary system slide set or individual prepared mammal kidney microscope slides that facilitate understanding of the detailed microscopic structures and processes.
Beyond kidney anatomy, students can simulate the kidney filtration process to enhance their understanding of the urinary system. Download the free activity “Developing and Analyzing Urine Samples as a Model of Kidney Function.”
Other activities to engage students in the skills of performing a urinalysis include Carolina’s Modeling Kidney Function Kit and Urine Examination BioKit®. When it comes time for a laboratory practical, you can make your own test cases with our simulated urine to ensure your students know the content.
Essential Question: What is the structure and function of the urinary system?
Objective: Review urinary system structure and function for test preparation.
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