Human Urinary System

Quick Answer: The human urinary system model shows the organs that make, carry and store urine: the two kidneys, the ureters, the urinary bladder and the urethra, usually with the renal arteries and veins joined to the aorta and inferior vena cava. Biology and nursing students use it to learn the pathway of urine and how the kidneys connect to the circulation.

From Blood to Bladder

The urinary system begins with blood. The renal arteries branch from the abdominal aorta and carry blood into each kidney, where nephrons filter it, reclaim what the body needs and leave waste and excess water as urine. Filtered blood returns through the renal veins to the inferior vena cava. On a human urinary system model these vessels show why the kidneys lie close to the great vessels at the back of the abdomen.

Urine collects in the renal pelvis, drains down the ureters by waves of muscular contraction and enters the bladder at an angle, so the bladder wall acts as a valve against backflow. The bladder stores urine until it is emptied through the urethra. Kidneys on such models are often sectioned to show the outer cortex, the medullary pyramids and the calyces draining into the renal pelvis, and the adrenal glands may sit on top.

Whether this model is sectioned, shows male or female anatomy, or includes the adrenal glands is not stated. A deluxe urinary system model is listed separately, and the human kidney structures model goes into nephron detail.

Specifications

Applications

• Teaching excretion and the pathway of urine in secondary biology
• Nursing lessons ahead of urinary catheterisation and fluid balance topics
• Explaining how the kidneys link to the circulation through the renal vessels
• Introducing kidney failure and dialysis in health science courses

Care & Handling

• Hold the human urinary system model by its base or backboard, not by the ureters, which are long and slender.
• If the kidney halves come apart, rejoin them carefully so the cut surfaces align.
• Dust gently and wipe with a barely damp cloth.

Why Choose LabEquip

Biology departments and nursing schools use a urinary system model when excretion needs more than a textbook diagram. LabEquip lists it among its biology lab products; ask through the contact page about sectioning and the sex shown.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the organs of the urinary system?

Two kidneys, which make urine; two ureters, which carry it down; the bladder, which stores it; and the urethra, which carries it out of the body.

How does urine move down the ureter?

By peristalsis, waves of smooth muscle contraction that push small amounts of urine along. This works even when a person is lying down, so it does not depend on gravity.

What stops urine flowing back up from the bladder?

The ureters pass through the bladder wall at an angle. As the bladder fills, pressure squeezes this oblique section closed, so it acts as a one-way valve.

How do the renal cortex and medulla differ?

The outer cortex holds the glomeruli and the coiled tubules, which give it a granular look. The inner medulla is arranged as cone-shaped pyramids of loops and collecting ducts, where urine is concentrated before it drains into the calyces.

Why are the kidneys close to the aorta?

The kidneys filter a large volume of blood, so they are supplied by short, wide renal arteries straight from the aorta. The renal veins drain just as directly into the inferior vena cava.

Is the male or female urethra longer?

The male urethra is much longer because it runs through the prostate and the penis. The short female urethra is one reason urinary infections are more frequent in women.

Last Updated: September 2026