Lecture 4 (Kidneys I)

Functions of the kidneys:

Excretion of soluble toxic/waste substances from metabolism (urea, uric

acid)
Ion/water balance (osmolarity,isotonicity)
pH regulation of body fluids
Maintenance of blood pressure
Hormone production (renin for conversion of Angiotensin)

Adrenal glands are situated on upper pole of kidneys.

The kidney is divided into the:

Cortex (outer area)

Medulla (inner); contains the nephrons

Urine is produced in microscopic structures in the kidney called nephrons, which

are in the cortex, but join to the medulla from the bottom of the
nephron/collecting duct.. Each kidney has many millions of nephrons. Each
nephrons are composed of the following; glomerulus, bowmans capsule, tubules
and collecting duct.
Blood comes in through the renal artery into the kidney. The renal artery splits
into arterioles which spans the kidney cortex/medullas. Blood goes in through the
afferent arteriole into the glomerulus and leaves the glomerulus through the
efferent arteriole. The efferent arteriole then becomes the peritubular
capillaries, in which the water, salt and glucose is reabsorbed.
The glomerulus filters blood (which comes in from the afferent arteriole) and
produces glomerulus filtrate. This filtrate contains water, glucose, and urea. The
Bowmans capsule collects the filtrate and it enters the tubules. All glucose is
reabsorbed immediately into the efferent arterioles. As the rest of the filtrate
travels through the tubules, water and salt from the filtrate is reabsorbed into
the blood capillaries.
The waste which contains excess water, excess salts and the urea is urine. Urine
is collected by the collecting duct, which the urine is then transported in the
ureters to the bladder.
Blood enters the kidneys from the renal artery and leaves the kidneys with the
reabsorbed water, salt and glucose via the renal vein.