What is the function of the bladder?

• A. It stores urine.
• B. It produces urine.
• C. It filters blood.
• D. It digests nutrients.

Answer: (A)

The bladder’s job is to store urine until you’re ready to urinate. It’s a muscular sac in the urinary system that holds urine produced by the kidneys as it travels down the ureters. As it fills, the walls stretch and trigger signals that tell you when it’s getting full. When you choose to urinate, the detrusor muscle contracts and the sphincters relax to release urine through the urethra. This storage function is distinct from producing urine (that’s the kidneys) or filtering blood (also kidneys) or digesting nutrients (the digestive system).