The bladder is part of the excretory system of most vertebrates, including humans. It is located in the small pelvis and is extremely important for the normal functioning of the body. What are the structure and functions of the bladder? Why are violations in his work dangerous?
Animal Bladder
Completely different organs can serve for excretion in animals. In invertebrates they are more primitive. The functions of the bladder are performed by tubules, pores, excretory tubes or glands.
Most vertebrates have kidneys, ureters, and the bladder, an organ in which waste products accumulate before they leave the body, for excretion. It is absent in cartilaginous fish and birds, and underdeveloped in crocodiles and some lizards.
The structure and function of the ureters and bladder are different in different organisms. In humans and mammals, they are the most complex. Their main feature is the separation from the anus, which is not, for example, in amphibians and reptiles.
Human urinary system
One of the products of our life is urine. It is 97% water and 3% decomposition products (acids, proteins, s alts, glucose, etc.). The kidneys filter the blood and urine. They are similar in shape to beans and reach 10-12 centimeters in length.
One process 30 centimeters long and up to 7 centimeters in diameter departs from the kidneys. These are muscular tubes that carry urine to the bladder in small portions at intervals of about 20 seconds.
When a sufficient amount of fluid accumulates, the bubble contracts and removes it through a special channel - the urethra. It is not the same for different sexes. So, in women, the urethra is shorter and wider, in men it is longer (up to 25 cm) and narrow (up to 8 mm). In addition, in men, ducts with sperm enter it.
To prevent the urea from rising again with effort, the ureters are narrowed in three places: near the junction with the kidneys, at the junction with the bladder and at the passage of the iliac vessels.
Where is the bubble?
The functions of the human bladder completely determine its structure and position inside the body. The organ is located in the lower part of the small pelvis in the retroperitoneal space behind the pubic region. On the sides, it is bordered by muscles that are responsible for raising the anus.
In childhood, it is located above, in the peritoneum, and does not touch the organs of the reproductive system. Over time, its size and position changes somewhat. In men, it is located next to the vas deferens and rectum, and the bottomrests on the prostate. In women, the bladder is located near the vagina.
The following elements of the organ are distinguished: the upper part, the body or the main part, the neck and the bottom. The apex is a narrowed part directed towards the inner wall of the abdomen. Its end passes into the umbilical ligament.
Down from the top begins the main part. The ureters go deep into the bladder, and its bottom is located below between them and the urethra. Near the bottom, the body of the bladder narrows, forming a neck, which leads to the urethra.
Internal structure
The bladder is a muscular organ. It is hollow inside, and its walls consist of several layers. From above, the body of the bladder is covered with smooth muscles: they are longitudinal on the outside, round in the middle, and reticulate inside. In the neck region, they are complemented by striated muscles.
Muscles are responsible for contraction of the bladder walls. Under them is a loose connective tissue in structure. It is penetrated by a dense network of blood vessels supplying the organ with blood. Inside is a mucous membrane of transitional epithelium. It secretes a secret that prevents the tissues of the bladder from coming into contact with microbes.
The ureters enter the organ from the sides at an angle. Around the neck is a circular muscle - the sphincter. This is a kind of valve that, when compressed, closes the opening of the excretory canal and prevents spontaneous urination.
Bladder functions
This organ can easily be compared to a vessel orbag. In our body, it plays the role of a reservoir that accumulates the fluid processed by the kidneys, and then brings it out. Together with water, unnecessary substances leave the body - excesses that cannot be absorbed, as well as poisons and toxins.
The function of the ureters, bladder and kidneys is clearly debugged. The kidneys work continuously in the body, and in the absence of a bladder, the urge to go to the toilet would be much more frequent. After all, we remember how often the ureters eject urine.
Thanks to our "storage" and, of course, the sphincter muscle that holds urine, a person can go to the bathroom much less often and at a convenient time for him. It is also not worth abusing this, so as not to worsen the condition of the organs.
Features of the bladder
With moderate drinking and normal functioning of organs, a person excretes up to 1.5-2 liters of urine per day. The capacity of the bladder itself in men is from 0.3 to 0.75 liters, and in women up to 0.5 liters.
In the absence of fluid, the organ is relaxed and resembles a deflated balloon. As it fills, its walls begin to stretch, increasing the volume of the cavity. The walls themselves become thinner, reducing the thickness by several times.
A he althy person can visit the toilet 3-8 times a day. But this indicator is highly dependent on the amount of liquid drunk, air temperature and other external conditions. We begin to feel the urge to urinate when the bladder fills more than 200 mm.
Except for blood vessels, in the wallsbody is a large number of nerve endings, nodes and neurons. They conduct a signal to the brain, indicating that the bubble is already full.
Diseases in men
Due to the peculiarities of the location of the organ, its disorders are more common in women. As a rule, in the male half of the population, the bladder suffers due to diseases of other systems. Prostatitis, for example, causes the prostate to enlarge, which blocks the urinary tract.
However, cystitis, urolithiasis, cancer, tuberculosis, leukoplakia can disrupt the function of the bladder. Symptoms that clearly indicate the malfunction of the organ are itching, burning, various discomforts, changes in color, transparency and pressure of urine, “double urination”, etc.
One of the disorders is overactive bladder syndrome. During this disease, the urge to urinate occurs even with a small amount of urine in the bladder. Sometimes it leads to incontinence. The cause of the syndrome is a pathology in the transmission of nerve impulses.
Diseases in women
Violation of the functions of the bladder in women is largely due to the proximity of the organ to the reproductive system. The range of diseases here is greatly expanded. So, microbes and viruses from the genitals easily pass into the urethra, and from there into the bladder itself.
In addition to general pathologies, specifically in women, endometriosis is quite common. It develops in the uterus or ovaries and spreads tourinary system. The main symptoms include pain during urination, frequent urge to go to the toilet, heaviness in the lower abdomen, which becomes worse during menstruation.
Cystitis is also a common disease. It is an inflammation of the urinary system and is accompanied by pain in the bladder, frequent urination or incontinence, cloudy urine, and sometimes fever.
Prevention
It is quite difficult to completely protect yourself from all diseases. But a number of simple actions will serve as a good prevention, so as not to expose yourself to trouble once again. In order not to disrupt the function of the bladder, first of all, do not overcool the legs and pelvic organs.
When playing sports, you can include exercises that increase blood circulation in the pelvis and thus activate the work of all its organs.
To maintain your he alth, you should consult a doctor in time for discomfort and pain. Even if they are not available, they should be checked at least once a year. An excellent prevention of many diseases is good sleep, rest, a balanced diet and an established rhythm of life.
