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| Genitourinary system | |
|---|---|
 Some components of the female and male genitourinary system | |
| Details | |
| Identifiers | |
| Latin | apparatus urogenitalis, systema urogenitale |
| MeSH | D014566 |
| Anatomical terminology | |
Thegenitourinary system, orurogenital system, are thesex organs of thereproductive system and theorgans of theurinary system.[1] These are grouped together because of their proximity to each other,their common embryological origin and the use of common pathways. Because of this, the systems are sometimes imaged together.[2] Inplacental mammals (including humans), the maleurethra goes through and opens into thepenis while the female urethra andvagina empty through thevulva.[3]
The term "apparatus urogenitalis" was used inNomina Anatomica (undersplanchnologia) but is not used in the currentTerminologia Anatomica.
The urinary and reproductive organs are developed from theintermediate mesoderm. The permanent organs of the adult are preceded by a set of structures that are purely embryonic and that, with the exception of the ducts, disappear almost entirely before the end of fetal life. These embryonic structures are on either side: thepronephros, themesonephros and themetanephros of thekidney, and theWolffian andMüllerian ducts of thesex organ. The pronephros disappears very early; the structural elements of the mesonephros mostly degenerate, but thegonad is developed in their place, with which the Wolffian duct remains as the duct in males, and the Müllerian as that of the female. Some of the tubules of the mesonephros form part of the permanent kidney.
The urethra of an adult human female is 3-4 cm long.[4] The female urethra is located between the bladder neck to the external urethral orifice and is behind the symphysis pubis.[4]The urethral wall is composed of an inner epithelial lining, a sub-mucosa layer containing vascular supply, a thin fascial layer, and two layers of smooth muscle.[4]
The urethra of an adult human male is 18-20 cm long.[4]It has a diameter of 8-9 mm.[4]The male urethra is divided into two sections.
Disorders of the genitourinary system includes a range of disorders from those that are asymptomatic to those that manifest an array of signs and symptoms. Causes for these disorders include congenital anomalies, infectious diseases,trauma, or conditions that secondarily involve the urinary structure.
To gain access to the body,pathogens can penetrate mucous membranes lining the genitourinary tract.
Urogenital malformations include:
As a medical specialty,genitourinary pathology is the subspecialty ofsurgical pathology which deals with thediagnosis and characterization ofneoplastic and non-neoplasticdiseases of theurinary tract, male genital tract and testes. However, medical disorders of the kidneys are generally within the expertise ofrenal pathologists. Genitourinarypathologists generally work closely withurologic surgeons.
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