The Kidney
 2 bean shaped organs
 Receive 20-25% of the total arterial
blood pumped by the heart
 Urine Production
Parts of the Kidney
 Hilus – blood vessels and nerves pass
into and out of the kidneys
 Renal Artery - Blood enters the kidney
 Renal Vein – Blood leaves the kidney
 Renal Cortex – Outer layer of the
kidney; most nephrons are located
 Renal Medulla – Inner region; stringy
appearance; renal pyramids/
malphigian pyramid, renal papillae
 Renal Lobe – overlying cortex area
 Calyces (Major and Minor) – cuplike
divisions of the renal pelvis surrounding
one or more renal papillae
 Pelvis – Funnel-shaped structure that is
formed at one end by the expanded
upper portion of the ureter
 Nephron – functional unit of the kidney
(cortex); 1 – 1.5 millions/kidney
o Types of Nephron
 Cortical Nephron (85%
of all nephrons) –
located in the cortex;
removal of waste
products and
reabsorption of
nutrients
 Juxtamedullary
nephron – longer
henle’s loop; for urine
concentration
The Nephron
 Parts:
o Glomerulus/ Malphigian body/
Renal Corpuscle – 8 glomerular
capillaries; Tuft of the capillaries
o Renal Tubule
Glomerulus
 Bowman’s capsule – layer that
surrounds the glomerulus; filtrate is
collected to the renal tubule
 Afferent arteriole – carries blood into
the nephron (going in)
 Efferent arteriole – carries blood to the
renal tubular area (going out)
 8 coiled capillary lobes
 MW = <70,000 dalton
Renal Tubules
 30 – 40mm long
o Proximal Convulated Tubule
(PCT) – Glucose, electrolytes
(Na, Cl) and Water
o Loop of Henle (LH) – more
Water and sodium
o Distal Convulated Tubule (DCT)
– exchange of Na, K, and H;
reabsorption of water
 Collecting Tubule – urine to ureter
Renal Physiology
 Glomerular Filtration
 Tubular Reabsorption
 Tubular Secretion
Renal Blood Flow
 Glomerular filtration rate: 120-
130mL/min
 Total Renal BF: 1200mL/min
 Effective Renal Plasma Flow: 600 –
700mL/min (filtered)
Factors that influence actual filtration
 Cellular structure of the capillary walls
and Bowman’s capsule
 Pressures (hydrostatic and oncotic)