ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY

KIDNEY STRUCTURE

Your kidneys are paired organs found on each side of the back portion of the abdominal cavity.
The larger left kidney is located a bit higher than the right kidney. Unlike other organs found in
the abdomen, the kidneys are located behind the lining (peritoneum) of the abdominal cavity,
thus they are considered retroperitoneal organs. These bean-shaped organs are protected by
the back muscles and the ribs, as well as the fat (adipose tissue) that surrounds them like a
protective padding.

PARTS OF THE KIDNEY

 Renal capsule
 Renal hilus
 Renal cortex
 Renal medulla
 Renal pyramids
 Renal pelvis
 Renal artery
 Renal vein
 Interlobular artery
 Interlobular vein
 Kidney nephron
 Collecting duct
 Ureter
(there is an explanation each part)
The function unit of kidney: Nephron

 The nephron is the kidney's functional unit that removes waste from the body. Each
kidney has more than a million nephrons in the renal cortex, which gives it a granular
appearance on sagittal section.
 There are 2 types of nephrons.

The cortical nephrons -85 percent, are found deep in the renal cortex
Juxtamedullary nephrons- 15 percent of total nephrons, lie close to the medulla.

 The nephron consists of a renal corpuscle, a tubule, and a capillary network that
originates from the small cortical arteries. Each renal corpuscle is composed of a
glomerulus (a network of capillaries) and a Bowman's capsule(the cup-shaped chamber
that surrounds it.

Blood supply of the kidney

Proper kidney structure and function is dependent on adequate blood supply:
 The renal artery, which branches out from your abdominal aorta enters the kidney in the
renal hilus.
 Each renal artery divides into the smaller afferent arterioles in the kidney.
 The afferent arterioles in the renal cortex separate into bundles of capillaries called
glomeruli.
 Each glomerulus recollects into a smaller efferent arteriole that descends into the renal
medulla.
 Each efferent arteriole separates into peritubular capillaries near the renal tubules.
 Peritubular capillaries merge, forming veins that drain into the renal vein.
 The renal vein exits each kidney to join the inferior vena cava, which transports blood
back to your heart.

Physiology of the Kidney (Summarized)

In an average adult each kidney is about 10 cm long, 5 cm wide, and 2.5 cm thick, and
weighs 120 to 175 g. In this small area the kidney contains over a million microscopic
filtering units, the nephrons. Blood arrives at the kidney by way of the renal artery, and
is distributed through arterioles into many millions of capillaries which lead into the
nephrons. Fluids and dissolved salts in the blood pass through the walls of the capillaries
and are collected within the Malpighian capsule, the central capsule of each nephron.
Within the capsule is a tuft of capillaries called the glomerulus that acts as a
semipermeable membrane permitting a protein-free ultrafiltrate of plasma to pass
through. This filtrate is forced into the renal tubules, hairpin-shaped collecting channels
in the nephrons. Capillaries in the walls of the tubules reabsorb the water and the salts
required by the body and deliver them to a system of small kidney veins which, in turn,
carry them into the renal vein and return them to the general circulation. Excess water
and other waste materials remain in the tubules as urine. The urine contains, besides
water, a quantity of urea, uric acid, yellow pigments, amino acids, and trace metals. The
urine moves through a system of ducts into the funnel-shaped renal pelvis in each
kidney, through which it is led into the two ureters.

Kidney function

 Excretes waste
 Maintains water balance
 Regulates blood pressure
 Regulates red blood cells
 Regulates acid levels

(there is an explanation)