Structure of the Urinary System (Edexcel IGCSE Biology)
Exam board Pearson Edexcel · IGCSEUpdated 2026-07-02
The Urinary System: Structure
Spec point —
3.23B· describe the structure of the urinary system, including the kidneys, ureters, bladder and urethra
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The kidneys are part of the urinary system
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The urinary system consists of two kidneys (found at the back of the abdomen) joined to the bladder by two tubes called the ureters
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Another tube, the urethra, carries urine from the bladder to outside the body
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Each kidney is also connected to:
- The renal arteries carry blood from the aorta to the kidneys to be filtered
- The renal veins carry filtered blood away from the kidneys to the vena cava
The urinary system in humans
Main structures of the urinary system
| Structure | Description |
|---|---|
| Kidney | Compact, oval organ that has two main roles: excretion (removal of waste products from metabolism) and osmoregulation (maintenance of blood water levels) |
| Ureter | A tube that transports urine from the kidney to the bladder |
| Bladder | Organ that stores urine (a solution of water, ions and urea) until it's excreted by the body |
| Urethra | A tube that carries urines from the bladder to the outside of the body |
Exam Hint Note the difference between the ‘ureter’ and the ‘urethra’. These two names are commonly confused by students so take care to learn them and know which tube is which – they are NOT interchangeable!
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