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What Are The Primary Functions Of The Kidneys

Functional Structure Of The Kidneys

Biology – How the Kidneys Work – (Kidneys Part 1/3) #74

nephrons

1. The tubule begins with a hollow enlargement called Bowman’s capsule, which is where water and solutes initially enter the tubule from the bloodstream. This process is known as filtration. The structure comprised of Bowman’s capsule and associated capillaries is called the renal corpuscle.

2. From Bowman’s capsule the tubular fluid flows towards the proximal tubule, which remains in the outer layer of the kidney. The proximal tubule is the major site of reabsorption of water and solutes in equal proportions from the filtered tubular fluid.

3. Then the tubule dips into the hairpin loop of Henle, which descends toward the center of the kidney and then rises back to the cortex. The loop of Henle is also a major site of reabsorption, but unlike the proximal tubule, proportionately more solute than water is reabsorbed, so the tubular fluid is dilute relative to plasma by the end of this segment.

4. The next segment is the distal tubule, which like the proximal tubule remains in the cortex. Both reabsorption and secretion take place in this segment, which is where sodium and potassium concentrations and the pH of the tubular fluid are adjusted to ensure homeostasis.

1. An afferent arteriole takes blood to the renal corpuscle, where the blood passes through the first capillary bed, a ball-shape tuft known as the glomerulus.

2. An efferent arteriole takes blood away from the glomerulus.

What Is The Significance Of The Kidneys

Your kidneys are responsible for removing waste and excess fluid from your body. Your kidneys also filter out acid created by your bodys cells and keep a healthy balance of water, salts, and minerals in your blood, such as sodium, calcium, phosphorus, and potassium.

Nerves, muscles, and other tissues in your body may not function properly if this equilibrium is not maintained.

Your kidneys also produce hormones that aid with digestion.

keep your blood pressure in check

NIH external link to produce red blood cells

maintain your bones healthy and strong

What Are The Two Primary Functions Of The Kidneys

The kidneys perform many crucial functions, including:

  • maintaining overall fluid balance.
  • regulating and filtering minerals from blood.
  • filtering waste materials from food, medications, and toxic substances.
  • creating hormones that help produce red blood cells, promote bone health, and regulate blood pressure.

The kidneys perform the essential function of removing waste products from the blood and regulating the water fluid levels. The diagram below shows the basic structure of the kidney. The kidneys receive blood through the renal artery.

Secondly, what are the two main parts of the nephron? Answer: The Renal Corpuscle, which is its filtering component, and the Renal Tubule, where waste is processed and carried away. The Corpuscle is the entrance and filtering point of the Nephron and the Tubule is the processing and exiting point of the Nephron.

In respect to this, what is the main function of the kidneys quizlet?

Function – extract waste from blood, balance body fluids, form urine, and aid in other important functions of the body. Location – They are located just below the rib cage, one on each side of the spine.

How do I keep my kidneys healthy?

Keeping your kidneys healthy Healthy body

  • Stay hydrated. Drinking plenty of fluid will help your kidneys function properly.
  • Eat healthily. A balanced diet ensures you get all the vitamins and minerals your body needs.
  • Watch your blood pressure.
  • Don’t smoke or drink too much alcohol.
  • Keep slim to help your kidneys.
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    How Can You Know If You Have Chronic Kidney Disease

    The key to preventing kidney disease from advancing to kidney failure is early identification and treatment of chronic renal disease. Early kidney disease can be detected with a few basic tests. They are as follows:

    A urine protein test is used to see if there is any protein in the urine. The Albumin to Creatinine Ratio calculates how much albumin is in your urine. A high level of protein in your urine might indicate that the filtering units in your kidneys have been damaged by disease. Because a positive result might be related to a fever or strenuous activity, your doctor will want to repeat the test over a period of time.

    A blood creatinine test. Your doctor should determine your glomerular filtration rate based on your results, as well as your age, race, gender, and other variables . Your GFR indicates how well your kidneys are working. Click here to view the GFR calculator.

    These tests are especially critical for those who have a higher risk of chronic renal disease. If you do any of the following, you may be at a higher risk for kidney disease:

    are more mature

    blood pressure is too high

    a member in your family suffers from chronic renal illness

    Are you African-American, Hispanic, Asian, Pacific Islander, or American Indian?

    If you fall into one of these categories or believe you may be at risk for kidney disease, speak with your doctor about being tested.

    Kidney Structures And Functions Explained

    Kidney Power Point Presentation

    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 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 that surrounds them like a protective padding. Learn more about the kidney structures and functions from this short article.

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    Secretion Of Active Compounds

    The kidneys release a number of important compounds, including:

    • Erythropoietin: This controls erythropoiesis, or the production of red blood cells. The liver also produces erythropoietin, but the kidneys are its main producers in adults.
    • Renin: This helps manage the expansion of arteries and the volume of blood plasma, lymph, and interstitial fluid. Lymph is a fluid that contains white blood cells, which support immune activity, and interstitial fluid is the main component of extracellular fluid.
    • Calcitriol: This is the hormonally active metabolite of vitamin D. It increases both the amount of calcium that the intestines can absorb and the reabsorption of phosphate in the kidney.

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    Can The Human Body Survive With One Kidney

    People may be born with just one kidney, or have one removed after injury or for a donation. In general, people with one kidney have few or no health problems, and have a normal life expectancy, according to the National Kidney Foundation. Technically, people can live with no kidneys, but require dialysis.

    Regulation Of Blood Pressure

    Renal System 1, Urinary system and kidneys

    Another function of the kidneys is to help regulate the body’s blood pressure by excreting excess sodium. If too little sodium is excreted, blood pressure is likely to increase. The kidneys also help regulate blood pressure by producing an enzyme called renin. When blood pressure falls below normal levels, the kidneys secrete renin into the bloodstream, thereby activating the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system Regulating Blood Pressure: The Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone System High blood pressure is persistently high pressure in the arteries. Often no cause for high blood pressure can be identified, but sometimes it occurs as a result of an underlying… read more , which in turn raises blood pressure. The kidneys also produce urotensin, which causes blood vessels to constrict and helps raise blood pressure. A person with kidney failure is less able to regulate blood pressure and tends to have high blood pressure.

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    Filtering And Cleansing The Blood

    The first kidney function is to filter and cleanse the blood from foreign substances and compounds that enter the body through the consumption of daily food and drink. Before being circulated throughout the body, blood first passes through the screening process in the kidneys, especially in the nephron. Residual waste from this process it will be disposed of along with urine.

    The kidneys filter 200 liters of blood every day. Of the many filtered blood, there are 2 liters of waste that must be excreted through urine. Because of this, the organ is equipped with a pair of ureters, a bladder, and a urethra that will carry urine out of the body.

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    What Could Go Wrong With The Kidneys

    When the kidneys are not working correctly, waste products and excess fluid can build up and the levels of sodium, potassium, phosphate and calcium are not regulated correctly. When these substances gather together, this causes the symptoms of kidney disease, which can include high blood pressure, excessive tiredness, fluid retention and possibly lower back pain.

    Kidney damage can occur for a number of reasons diabetes, high blood pressure, infections and a group of diseases that affect the glomerulus. The kidneys also need an adequate supply of blood, so if there is something wrong with the blood vessels to the kidney, such as a narrowing, this will prevent the kidneys from working efficiently.

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    Other Functions Of Kidneys

    Despite their small size each kidney is only about the size of your fist your kidneys perform a variety of essential functions. Most notably, kidneys remove dangerous toxins and excess water from your blood and eliminate them through your urine. Kidneys also perform other amazing physiological feats, from regulating the amount of fluid in your body to controlling the salt content of that fluid. Here are three more amazing kidney functions.

    Water And Electrolyte Balance

    Kidney Renal Artery Function

    People consume water regularly in order to maintain life. More water is produced by the processing of food. If the amount of water added to the body is not matched by an equal amount going out, water accumulates rapidly and the person becomes ill and may even die. Excess water dilutes the body’s electrolytes, whereas water restriction concentrates them. The body’s electrolytes must be maintained at very precise concentrations. The kidneys regulate and help maintain the proper balance of water and electrolytes.

    Blood enters a glomerulus at high pressure. Much of the fluid part of blood is filtered through small pores in the glomerulus, leaving behind blood cells and most large molecules, such as proteins. The clear, filtered fluid enters Bowman space and passes into the tubule leading from Bowman capsule. In healthy adults, about 47 gallons of fluid is filtered into the kidney tubules each day. Nearly all this fluid is reabsorbed by the kidney. Only about 1.5 to 2% of the fluid is excreted as urine. For this reabsorption to occur, different parts of the nephron actively secrete and reabsorb different electrolytes, which pull the water along, and other parts of the nephron vary their permeability to water, allowing more or less water to return to the circulation. The details of these processes are a bit complicated.

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    Regulate Vitamin D Production

    In addition to regulating red blood cell production, kidney function can also regulate the production of vitamin D. Generally, humans get vitamin D from sunlight or vitamins. However, the vitamin D is still in inactive form.

    The kidneys have a function to convert the inactive form of vitamin D into a substance called calcitriol, which is the active form of vitamin D. So renal function also as a producer of active vitamin D or calcitriol.

    This calcitriol is very important in the absorption of calcium for bones. Therefore, if your kidneys are damaged, then the absorption of calcium will be impaired and can also cause disturbances in the formation of muscles and bones.

    • Regulate the bodys acid and base levels.
    • Regulate the amount of potassium in the blood.
    • Controlling blood sugar levels.

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    Main Function Of The Kidney

    Kidney is located along the back of the muscular wall of the abdominal cavity. The shape of the organ is like a nut with a size of a fist, with a length of about 12 centimeters and a width of 6 centimeters.

    As with other organs, the kidneys play an important role in the human body. Here are the Main Function of The Kidney:

    Why Is Kidney The Main Excretory Organ

    Kidney and Nephron Anatomy Structure Function | Renal Function System

    The main function of the urinary system is to filter waste products and excess water from the blood and excrete them from the body. The kidneys are the chief organs of the urinary system.

    Similarly one may ask, why kidney is considered as an excretory organ?

    The paired kidneys are often considered the main organs of excretion. The primary function of the kidneys is the elimination of excess water and wastes from the bloodstream by the production of the liquid waste known as urine. The main structural and functional units of the kidneys are tiny structures called nephrons.

    how does liver help in excretion? The liver regulates most chemical levels in the blood and excretes a product called bile. This helps carry away waste products from the liver. Production of bile, which helps carry away waste and break down fats in the small intestine during digestion. Production of certain proteins for blood plasma.

    Correspondingly, what is the function of the kidneys in the excretory system?

    The urinary system, also known as the renal system, produces, stores and eliminates urine, the fluid waste excreted by the kidneys. The kidneys make urine by filtering wastes and extra water from blood. Urine travels from the kidneys through two thin tubes called ureters and fills the bladder.

    What is the importance of excretory system?

    The excretory system is important because it helps the body eliminate metabolic waste, maintain a balance of salt and water, and control blood

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    What Are The Functions Of My Kidneys

    About a million filtering units called nephrons make up each of your kidneys. A filter termed the glomerulus and a tubule are found in each nephron. The glomerulus filters your blood, and the tubule restores essential chemicals to your blood while removing wastes.

    Each nephron has a glomerulus, which filters your blood, and a tubule, which restores essential chemicals to your blood while removing waste. Urine is made up of waste and excess water.

    Keeping Your Kidneys Healthy

    Well-functioning kidneys are essential to your overall health. Early detection of kidney disease can be life-saving. Medication and changes to lifestyle, along with an early referral to a kidney specialist, can prevent or delay kidney failure.

    If you are at increased risk of chronic kidney disease, talk to your doctor about having a regular kidney health check.

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    The 7 Functions Of The Kidneys

    Most people know that the primary function of the kidneys is to eliminate waste products from the body by flushing them out with urine. However, did you know that there are at least 6 other fabulous functions you should thank your kidneys for?

    Shaheen Motiwala, MD is one of our nephrologist at Florida Kidney Physicians who loves to educate patients. Here is a brief overview of the 7 primary functions of the kidneys to help patients become more familiar with how these amazing organs work.

    Kidneys Are A Filter System

    PPT

    The main job of the kidneys is to remove waste from the blood and return the cleaned blood back to the body. Each minute about one litre of blood one-fifth of all the blood pumped by the heart enters the kidneys through the renal arteries. After the blood is cleaned, it flows back into the body through the renal veins.

    Each kidney contains about one million tiny units called nephrons. Each nephron is made up of a very small filter, called a glomerulus, which is attached to a tubule. As blood passes through the nephron, fluid and waste products are filtered out. Much of the fluid is then returned to the blood, while the waste products are concentrated in any extra fluid as urine .

    The urine flows through a tube called the ureter into the bladder. Urine passes from the bladder out of the body through a tube called the urethra. The kidney usually makes one to two litres of urine every day depending on your build, how much you drink, the temperature and the amount of exercise you do.

    A healthy kidney can greatly increase its work capacity. With two healthy kidneys, each kidney performs 50 per cent of the normal kidney function. If one kidney is lost, the other kidney can enlarge and provide up to 75 per cent of the normal kidney function .

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    This content is provided as a service of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, part of the National Institutes of Health. The NIDDK translates and disseminates research findings to increase knowledge and understanding about health and disease among patients, health professionals, and the public. Content produced by the NIDDK is carefully reviewed by NIDDK scientists and other experts.

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