Bladder Anatomy in 3D: How the Bladder Works
The bladder is a stretchy muscular bag low in the belly that stores urine until you go to the toilet. Urine reaches it from the kidneys through two thin tubes. In the 3D Anatomy simulator you can open the bladder and see how it connects to the rest of the urinary system.
Explore in 3DBladder quick facts
| Where it is | Low in the belly, behind the pubic bone |
|---|---|
| Holds | About 400 to 600 ml in an adult |
| Fed by | Two ureters from the kidneys |
| Empties through | The urethra |
| Wall | Stretchy muscle |
Interesting facts about the bladder
- The bladder wall stretches as it fills and shrinks back when empty.
- Nerves tell the brain when the bladder is getting full.
- Ring-shaped muscles called sphincters keep urine in until you decide to let it out.
- Urine flows into the bladder in small squirts, not all at once.
- The bladder, kidneys, ureters and urethra together make up the urinary system.
What you can do in 3D
Open the bladder to see it with the ureters coming in from above, then turn it to see where it sits in the pelvis.
More organs in 3D
Tap any part to open its page.
Bladder questions
How much can the bladder hold?
An adult bladder usually holds about 400 to 600 ml of urine.
Where is the bladder?
Low in the belly, in the pelvis, just behind the pubic bone.
How does urine get to the bladder?
It travels from each kidney down a thin tube called a ureter.
How do you know when your bladder is full?
Stretch sensors in the bladder wall send signals to the brain as it fills.
What is the urinary system?
The kidneys, ureters, bladder and urethra, which together make, store and remove urine.
The 3D Anatomy simulator is made by Julian Neagu, a solo founder in London, as part of VisionVix Simulators. It is free to use in the browser on desktop and phone, with no sign-up. This page is for learning and is not medical advice.