The Urinary Tract: Form and Function

The lower urinary tract (LUT) has two major organs, the bladder and the urethra, with complex structures and physiological behaviour. They serve two key functions of urine storage and voiding, which require tight regulation from all levels of the nervous system. The behaviour of the LUT is driven by the task to handle the output from the kidneys, which is determined by the need of the body to balance water and salt, and to excrete toxins. This complexity makes the LUT vulnerable from a range of potential factors.