Ureter

Revision as of 17:14, 20 August 2012 by WikiBot (talk | contribs) (Robot: Automated text replacement (-{{SIB}} +, -{{EH}} +, -{{EJ}} +, -{{Editor Help}} +, -{{Editor Join}} +))
(diff) ← Older revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Template:Infobox Anatomy

WikiDoc Resources for Ureter

Articles

Most recent articles on Ureter

Most cited articles on Ureter

Review articles on Ureter

Articles on Ureter in N Eng J Med, Lancet, BMJ

Media

Powerpoint slides on Ureter

Images of Ureter

Photos of Ureter

Podcasts & MP3s on Ureter

Videos on Ureter

Evidence Based Medicine

Cochrane Collaboration on Ureter

Bandolier on Ureter

TRIP on Ureter

Clinical Trials

Ongoing Trials on Ureter at Clinical Trials.gov

Trial results on Ureter

Clinical Trials on Ureter at Google

Guidelines / Policies / Govt

US National Guidelines Clearinghouse on Ureter

NICE Guidance on Ureter

NHS PRODIGY Guidance

FDA on Ureter

CDC on Ureter

Books

Books on Ureter

News

Ureter in the news

Be alerted to news on Ureter

News trends on Ureter

Commentary

Blogs on Ureter

Definitions

Definitions of Ureter

Patient Resources / Community

Patient resources on Ureter

Discussion groups on Ureter

Patient Handouts on Ureter

Directions to Hospitals Treating Ureter

Risk calculators and risk factors for Ureter

Healthcare Provider Resources

Symptoms of Ureter

Causes & Risk Factors for Ureter

Diagnostic studies for Ureter

Treatment of Ureter

Continuing Medical Education (CME)

CME Programs on Ureter

International

Ureter en Espanol

Ureter en Francais

Business

Ureter in the Marketplace

Patents on Ureter

Experimental / Informatics

List of terms related to Ureter

Steven C. Campbell, M.D., Ph.D.


Overview

In human anatomy, the ureters are the ducts that carry urine from the kidneys to the urinary bladder, passing anterior to the psoas major. The ureters are muscular tubes that can propel urine along by the motions of peristalsis. In the adult, the ureters are usually 25-30cm long.

In humans, the ureters enter the bladder through the back, running within the wall of the bladder for a few centimetres. There are no valves in the ureters, backflow being prevented by pressure from the filling of the bladder, as well as the tone of the muscle in the bladder wall.

In the female, the ureters pass through the mesometrium on the way to the urinary bladder.

Histology

Cross section through a microscope.

The ureter has a diameter of about 3 millimeters, and the lumen is star-shaped. Like the bladder, it is lined with transitional epithelium, and contains layers of smooth muscle.

The epithelial cells of the ureter are stratified (in many layers), are normally round in shape but become squamous (flat) when stretched. The lamina propria is thick and elastic (as it is important that it is impermeable).

There are two spiral layers of smooth muscle in the ureter wall, an inner loose spiral, and an outer tight spiral. The inner loose spiral is sometimes described as longitudinal, and the outer as circular, (this is the opposite to the situation in the gastrointestinal tract). The distal third of the ureter contains another layer of outer longitudinal muscle.

The adventitia of the ureter, like elsewhere is composed of fibrous connective tissue, that binds it to adjacent tissues.

Diseases and disorders

Medical problems that can affect the ureter include:

External links

Additional images

Template:Urinary system

ar:حالب cs:Močovod de:Harnleiter id:Ureter it:Uretere he:שופכן ku:Mîzlûl lt:Šlapimtakis nl:Urineleider no:Urinleder sk:Močovod sr:Мокраћовод sh:Mokraćovod fi:Virtsanjohdin


Template:WikiDoc Sources