VMED 5127

Histology and Developmental Anatomy

Embryology of The Urinary System
Dr, Fakhri Al-Bagdadi BVSC, Ph.D
Dept. Comparative Biomedical Sciences
College of Veterinary Medicine
Louisiana State University
Baton Rouge, LA
OBJECTIVES:
1.Discuss the germ layers and embryonic structures that
differentiate into the urinary system
2.Discuss the location and significance of the three embryonic
kidney systems.
3.Discuss the structure and development of the mesonephros and
metanephros.
4.Describe the division of the urogenital sinus into various parts
and name the adult organs that are derived from each part.
5.Understand how the caudal parts of the mesonephric ducts and
ureters are absorbed into the urogenital sinus and the significance
of this embryonic event.
6.Discuss the position of the urachus and its significance and fate.
7.Describe the positional changes of the kidneys during
development.
I. The urogenital system
A. Urinary (excretory) system
B. Genital (reproductive) system.
C. Embryologically are closely related.
D. Anatomically,
1.Males, urethra conveys both urine and semen.
2.Females, urethra & open into vestibule.

F. Suprarenal (adrenal) glands.

1. Related to the kidneys cranial poles .
2. Adrenal hyperplasia causes
masculinization of female external genitalia;
clitoral enlargement.
II.Development Urogenital system
1.Intermediate mesoderm loses its somites
connection.
2.Urogenital ridge forms on the sides of aorta.
3.Provides the urinary and genital systems.
4. Urogenital ridge give rise
a. Nephrogenic cord
Provides the urinary system
b. Gonadal ridge.
Provides the genital system
B. Urinary system consists of:
*Kidneys, which excrete urine
*Ureters, convey urine to the bladder
*Urinary bladder, stores urine temporarily
*Urethra, carries urine to exterior
C. Development of Kidneys and Ureters
a.Pronephros ,
(kidneys, in primitive fishes).
b. Mesonephros,
Wolffian body,(amphibians kidneys)
c.Metanephros,
permanent kidneys.
1.Pronephros
a. Transitory, nonfunctional
b.Tubules open into cloaca.
c. Utilized by mesonephros
2.Mesonephrous
a. Function as interim kidneys
3. Mesonephric kidneys
a.Glomeruli and mesonephric tubules.
b.Tubules open into the cloaca.
c.Degenerate, their tubules become efferent
ductules of the testes .
3.Metanephros
a. Primordia of permanent kidneys .
b. Urine forms throughout fetal life.
c. Urine is excreted into the amniotic cavity and
mixes with the amniotic fluid.
d. A mature fetus swallows amniotic fluid daily,
which is absorbed by the intestine.
e. Waste products are transferred through the
placenta for elimination by maternal kidneys.
4.Permanent kidneys develop from two
sources:
a. Mesonephric diverticulum (urethra bud)
b. Mesonephric mass of intermediate
mesoderm (metanephrogenic blastema)
5. Metanephric diverticulum
a. Primordium of the ureter, renal pelvis, and
collecting tubules.
b. It penetrates the metanephric mass of
intermediate mesoderm.
c. Its stalk becomes the ureter and its
expanded cranial end forms the renal pelvis.
d. The straight collecting tubules branch
repeatedly, forms generations of collecting
tubules.
e. First generations form the major calices
f. Second generations form the minor calices
g. Remaining generations of tubules form the
collecting tubules.
h. Each arched collecting tubule induces to form
metanephric vesicles.
i. These vesicles become metanephric tubules.
J. The proximal ends of the renal tubule become
in ted by glomeruli.
l. Each distal convoluted tubule become confluent
with arched collecting.
m. The number of glomeruli increases gradually.
6-Uriniferous tubule has two origins:
a. Nephron, derived from the metanephric mass
of intermediate mesoderm
b. Collecting tubule, derived from the
metanephric diverticulum
7. Fetal kidneys are subdivided into lobes.
8.The lobes are still in newborn kidneys.
9. At term, each kidney contains 800,000 to
1,000,000 nephrons.
10. Functional maturation of the kidneys occurs
after birth..
11. Positional Changes of Kidneys
a. Metanephric kidneys lie in the pelvis.
b. The kidneys come to lie in the abdomen.
c. This “migration” results from the growth of the
embryo’s body caudal to the kidneys.
d. They are retroperitoneal (external to the
peritoneum)
e. The hilum of the kidney,
1) faces ventrally; as the kidney “ascends,”
2) it rotates medially almost 90 degrees.
13. Changes in Blood Supply of Kidneys
a. As the kidneys “ascend” they receive their blood
supply from close by vessels.
b. Renal arteries are branches of common iliac
arteries.
c. As they “ascend”, the kidneys receive their blood
supply from the aorta.
d. When they reach a higher level, they receive new
branches from the aorta.
e. The caudal branches undergo involution and
disappear.
f. As kidneys come into contact with the suprarenal
glands in the their “ascent” stops.
g. They get their arterial branches are from the aorta
h. The right renal artery is longer and often more
superior
13.Accessory Renal Arteries
a. Accessory (supernumerary) renal arteries arise from
the aorta .
b. Accessory renal arteries may,
1) enter the kidneys directly,
2)into the cranial or caudal pole of the kidney
3) cross the ureter and obstruct it, causing
hydronephrosis, distention of renal pelvis and calices
with urine.
4) enter the inferior pole of the right kidney
5) crosses anterior to the inferior vena cava and ureter.
c. Accessory renal arteries are end arteries, if an
accessory artery is damaged or ligated, the part of the
kidney it supply become ischemic.
14. Congenital Anomalies of the Kidneys and Ureters
a. Renal Agenesis
1)Unilateral absence of a kidney.
2) Bilateral renal agenesis no urine is excreted into the
amniotic cavity
3)decreased amniotic fluid volume alerts the
sonographer to search for urinary tract anomalies.
4) Absence of kidneys, metanephric diverticula fail to
develop or the primordia of the ureters degenerate.
5) Failure of the metanephric diverticulum to penetrate
the metanephric mesoderm results in absence of
kidney.
6) Renal agenesis probably has a multifactorial
etiology.
16.Malrotated Kidney
a. kidney fails to rotate,
1)hilum faces cranially,
2) hilum faces caudally,
3) hilum faces laterally,
4)Abnormal kidney .
17. Ectopic Kidneys
a. In the pelvis or lie in the inferior part of the abdomen.
b. Result from failure of the kidneys to “ascend.”
c. Pelvic kidneys are close to each other and may fuse
to form a discoid kidney.
d. Ectopic kidneys receive blood from internal or external
iliac arteries and/or aorta.
e. They are supplied by multiple vessels.
 f. Crossed renal ectopia
Both kidneys on the right side of the abdomen.
g. Fused kidneys.
h. One kidney “ascends” carrying the other one
with it.
18- Horseshoshaped Kidney
a. Kidneys poles are fused.
b. Large U-shaped kidney.
c. Ascent of fused kidneys are caught by the
inferior mesenteric artery.
d. A horshoe kidney its ureters enter the bladder.
e. If urinary flow is impeded, signs and symptoms
of obstruction and/or infection may appear.
19. Duplications of Urinary Tract

a. Duplications of the abdominal ureter and the

renal pelvis.
b. These result from division of the metanephric
diverticulum.
c. Incomplete division of the ureteric primordium
results in a divided kidney with a bifid ureter.
d. Complete division results in a double kidney
with a bifid ureter or separate ureters.
e. A supernumerary kidney with its own ureter is
due to formation of two metanephric diverticula.
20. Ectopic Ureter
a. Opens anywhere except the urinary bladder.
b. Male, ectopic ureters , open into
1) bladders neck
2) prostatic part of the urethra,
3) ductus deferens,
4)seminal vesicle gland
b. Female, ectopic ureter,opens
1) Bladder neck,
2) Urethra,
3)
4) Vestibule.
c. Urine dribbles from orfice not opened in the
urinary bladder.
21.Cystic Kidney Disease
a. Small cysts, result in renal insufficiency.
b. Infant death, occurs shortly after birth
c. Infants may survive by postnatal dialysis and
kidney transplantation.
d. Multicystic dysplastic kidney disease (MDK)
happen during development of the renal system.
e. Gene mutations and faulty signaling are
implicated.
 22. Development of Urinary Bladder
A. Urorectal septum divide the cloaca into a
1.dorsal rectum
2.ventral urogenital sinus.
2.Urogenital sinus is divided into
a. Cranial part, is continuous with the allantois
b.Middle part, the urethra in the bladder neck
c. prostatic part in males and entire urethra in
females.
Urinary bladder develops from,
a. Urogenital sinus.
b. Its trigone is derived from the mesonephric
ducts
c. Bladder continuation with the allantois, become
fibrous chord the urachus. It extends from the
bladder to the umbilicus.
In the adult the urachus is represented by the
median umbilical ligament.
Parts of the mesonephric ducts contribute to the
.
trigone of the bladder.
The apex of the adult urinary bladder continues
with the median umbilical ligament.
The caudal ends of these ducts become the
ejaculatory ducts in male, degenerates in
females
23. Urachal Anomalies
a. Urachal cysts are detected when they
become infected and enlarge.
b. Urachus may form a urachal sinus opens at
the umbilicus.
c. Patent urachus forms a urachal fistula where
urine dripple from the umbilical orifice.
24.Development of Urethra
a. Urogenital sinus endoderm gives the
epithelium of the male and female urethra.
b. The urethra in the penis glans is derived from
ectodermal cells from the tip of the glans.
Urachal Cyst Inferior to the Umbilicus
Two Urachal Sinuses
1.One Open in the Umbilicus
2.One Open Into the Bladder
Patent Urachus or Urachal Fistula
Connecting the Bladder and Umbilicus
25. Development of Suprarenal Glands
a. Cortex develops from mesoderm
b. Medulla differentiates from neural crest cells.
c. Medullary are derived from sympathetic
ganglion, which is derived from neural crest cells.

26.Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia

a. Abnormal increase in the cells of the
suprarenal cortex results in excessive androgen
production during the fetal period.
b. In females this causes masculization of the
external genitalia and enlargement of oris.