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The Integrated Physiology of the Lower Urinary Tract

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Neurourology

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Abstract

The lower urinary tract (LUT) consists of the bladder and outflow tract. For most of the time the LUT serves a storage function, whereby the bladder fills with urine from the ureters whilst maintaining a low intraluminal pressure and the outflow tract offers a high fluid resistance to maintain continence. At regular intervals voiding occurs when the bladder wall contracts, to raise intraluminal pressure, and the outflow tract relaxes. Furthermore, the LUT is supported by a pelvic floor musculature. This chapter provides an overview of the physiological functions of the lower urinary tract, some of the functional disorders that can occur and a survey of the tissues that help to maintain these essential functions.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK

    Chris Fry

  2. Faculty of Health and Medical Science, Department of Biochemistry and Physiology, University of Surrey, Surrey, UK

    Rita Jabr

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  1. Chris Fry
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  2. Rita Jabr
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Correspondence to Chris Fry .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Urology, China Rehabiliation Research Center Capital Medical University, Beijing, China

    Limin Liao

  2. Department of Urology, University Hospital, Innsbruck, Austria

    Helmut Madersbacher

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Fry, C., Jabr, R. (2019). The Integrated Physiology of the Lower Urinary Tract. In: Liao, L., Madersbacher, H. (eds) Neurourology. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-7509-0_7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-7509-0_7

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

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