5.1 – Introduction to the Urinary System
Learning Objectives
- Identify the anatomy and describe the main functions of the urinary system
- Analyze, translate, and define medical terms and common abbreviations of the urinary system
- Practice the spelling and pronunciation of urinary system medical terminology
- Identify the medical specialties associated with the urinary system and explore common diseases, disorders, diagnostic tests and procedures
Urinary System Word Parts
Click on prefixes, combining forms, and suffixes to reveal a list of word parts to memorize for the urinary system.
Urinary System Word Parts
Prefix
- a- (absence of, without)
- an– (absence of, without)
- dia- (through, complete)
- dys– (painful, abnormal, difficult, laboured)
- poly– (many, much)
Combining Forms
- albumin/o (albumin)
- azot/o (urea, nitrogen)
- blast/o (developing cell, germ cell)
- cyst/o (bladder, sac)
- glomerul/o (glomerulus)
- glyc/o (sugar)
- glycos/o (sugar)
- hydr/o (water)
- lith/o (stone, calculus)
- meat/o (meatus)
- nephr/o (kidney)
- noct/i (night)
- olig/o (few, scanty)
- pyel/o (renal pelvis)
- ren/o (kidney)
- ureter/o (ureter)
- urethr/o (urethra)
- urin/o (urine, urinary tract)
- ur/o (urine, urinary tract)
- vesic/o (bladder, sac)
Suffix
- –al (pertaining to)
- –ary (pertaining to)
- –cele (hernia, protrusion)
- –emia (in the blood)
- –gram (the record, radiographic image)
- –graph (instrument used to record)
- –graphy (process of recording, radiographic imaging)
- –iasis (condition)
- –esis (condition)
- –itis (inflammation)
- –lith (stone)
- –lysis (loosening, dissolution, separating)
- –megaly (enlarged, enlargement)
- –oma (tumour, swelling)
- –osis (abnormal condition)
- –ptosis (drooping, sagging, prolapse)
- –rrhaphy (suturing, repairing)
- –scope (instrument used for visual examination)
- –scopic (pertaining to visual examination)
- –scopy (visual examination)
- –stomy (creation of an artificial opening)
- –tomy (cut into, incision)
- –tripsy (surgical crushing)
- –uria (urine, urination)
Activity source: Urinary System Word Parts by Kimberlee Carter, from Building a Medical Terminology Foundation, licensed under CC BY 4.0./ Text version added.
Introduction to the Urinary System
The urinary system has roles you may be well aware of. Cleansing the blood and ridding the body of wastes probably come to mind. However, there are additional, equally important functions, played by the system. For example, regulation of pH, a function shared with the lungs and the buffers in the blood. Additionally, the regulation of blood pressure is a role shared with the heart and blood vessels. What about regulating the concentration of solutes in the blood? Did you know that the kidney is important in determining the concentration of red blood cells? Eighty-five percent of the erythropoietin (EPO) produced to stimulate red blood cell production is produced in the kidneys. The kidneys also perform the final synthesis step of vitamin D production, conv