Histology of

Urinary
Passages

(Renal Pelvis, Ureter,

Urinary Bladder, and
Urethra)

Reporter:
Gauraki, Hafsah T.
All the passageways, except the urethra, have the
same general structure:

Mucosa - consists of transitional epithelium and

lamina propria.
Muscularis longitudinal and circular muscle
layers
Adventitia, or in some regions, a serosa.
Transitional Epithelium
Lines the passages except the urethra
Thicker in the bladder and ureters (up to 8 cells)
Its ability to distend is due to the structure of the surface cells
Large, cuboidal, and bulge into the lumen; become more or less
squamous in the distended state
Changes in cell shape are due to plaques (connected to
interplaque regions)
Many are binucleate
Cells in the intermediate layers are intermediate in size
Basal cells are the smallest and the nuclei appear crowded
Renal Pelvis- funnel-shaped; beginning of the ureter
Ureter
Mucosa- typically folded, having a star-shaped appearance
Lamina propria is fairly wide and consists of fibroelastic
tissue, usu. more dense and with more fibroblasts under the
epithelium and looser near the muscularis.

Muscularis- with inner longitudinal and outer circular smooth

muscle layers; appear as loose, anastomosing strands
separated by abundant collagenous con.tissue

Adventitia- continuous with the surrounding fibroelastic

con.tissue containing abundant adipose cells, numerous blood
vessels and small nerves
Urinary bladder
Has three openings forming triangular region called trigone;
bladder wall is thick and folded when its empty and thin and
smooth when its full.

Mucosa- similar to ureter ll

Muscularis- three layers: inner longitudinal, middle circular and
outer longitudinal; however, they are less clearly defined than in
the ureter and appear as anastomosing bundles separated by
loose con.tissue

The bladder has serosa, covered with mesothelium, on its

upper surface. Elsewhere, the outer layer of the wall consists of
a fibrous adventitia.
Male Urethra
Prostatic urethra- extends from the neck of the bladder through
the prostate gland;
lined by transitional epithelium
Membranous urethra- extends from the apex of the prostate
gland to the bulb of the corpus spongiosum of the penis;
lined by pseudostratified columnar epithelium;
surrounded by the skeletal muscles of the pelvic and
urogenital diaphragms, which form the external (voluntary)
sphincter of the urethra
Male Urethra continued
Penile urethra- extends through the length of the corpus
spongiosum and opens to the outside at the glans;
lined by pseudostratified columnar epithelium which
transitions to stratified squamous epithelium distally;
Fossa navicularis- tip of the glans where the urethra opens;
has stratified squamous epithelium which is continuous
with epidermis of the skin.
The surface of the mucosa of the urethra has many recesses
which continue into deeper, branching mucous glands, the glands
of Littre.
Female Urethra
- extends from the bladder to the vestibule of the vagina
Mucosa- has many longitudinal folds;
lined mostly by stratified squamous epithelium;
patches of stratified columnar and pseudostratified columnar epithelium
may be seen;
mucus-secreting cells are present;
lamina propria is a highly vascularized layer of connective tissue with
many venous sinuses;
Muscularis two layers: inner longitudinal and outer circular; the striated
muscle where the urethra penetrates the urogenital diaphragm forms the
external or voluntary urethral sphincter.
The outer adventitia blends with that of the vagina.
 CHARACTERS MALE URETHRA FEMALE URETHRA
organ system shared by the reproductive Excretory system only
and excretory system
complexity complex simple
length approx. 18-20cm about 4cm
pelvic urethra surrounded by occassional absent
fibres
shape at cross-section flaccid state: S-shaped crescentric at the upper
erect state: J-shaped part; stallate at the middle
part; transverse at the
lower part
prostate gland present absent
para-urethral gland of absent present
skene
dilation cannot dilate can easily dilate for
cathetures to pass through
Done
.