Male Urinary Tract Anatomy: Kidney to Bladder Flow Path
Urine formed in the nephrons follows this pathway in males:
- Renal pelvis: Funnel-shaped collector in each kidney; receives urine from calyces.
- Ureters: Paired muscular tubes (25–30 cm) transporting urine via peristalsis to bladder. Cross iliac vessels at pelvic brim.
- Urinary bladder: Distensible reservoir in pelvis, posterior to pubic symphysis. Capacity 400–600 mL. Trigone (fixed base) receives ureteral orifices.
- Urethra: Single tube (15–20 cm) from bladder neck through prostate (prostatic urethra), urogenital diaphragm (membranous), and penis (spongy/penile urethra) to external meatus.
Regulatory Mechanisms
- Storage phase: Sympathetic (hypogastric) → detrusor relaxation, internal sphincter contraction.
- Voiding phase: Parasympathetic (pelvic splanchnic) → detrusor contraction; somatic (pudendal) → external sphincter relaxation.
- Central control: Pontine micturition center coordinates; cortical inhibition allows voluntary delay.
Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) commonly obstructs prostatic urethra in older men, causing LUTS.
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