The kidney are two small bean shaped organs at the located at the back of the body. Their main function is to:

Produce urine

Filter the blood

Adjust levels of minerals and other chemicals in the body

Balance the bodies fluid content

Produce Renin (enzyme that controls blood pressure)

Produces Erythropoietin (hormone to help make red blood cells)

Activate vitamin D to maintain healthy bones.

So their main function is to filter the blood and assist in regulating the water balance in the body.

Blood enters through the Renal Artery and into the kidney. At this stage the blood contains waste (such as urea, uric acid and creatinine).

The blood is filtered. The clean blood exits through the Renal Vein and the toxins exit through the Ureter as Urine.

Click on the animation to the right

So what actually happens in the kidney?

Watch the video bellow

Blood first enters the Glomerelous. The Glomerelous is a mass of capillaries which filters the blood and is incased in a capsule called, Bowman’s capsule.

The Glomerelous removes water, Glucose, amino acids, creatinine, urea, sodium and potassium from the blood and releases it into the tubules.

The main source of filtration occurs in the Nephrons. There are over 1.3 million Nephrons in one kidney.

To the right is an image of a Nephron. Scroll over to enlarge it.

There are a few parts of the Nephron you need too know.

Scroll over each word:

•  Bowman’s capsule and the  Glomerolous
•  Loop of henle
•  Distale tube
•  Collection duct

The blood continues to the loop of Henle.

In the loop of Henle, water and important ions are reabsorbed from the urine and given back to the blood.

The distale tubule is the last spot the blood gains or looses nutrients. It regulates the levels of potassium, sodium, pH and water.

Finally the urine passes into the collecting tubule and flows to the Ureters. Other nephrons can join to one colleting tubule.