1. The Wonderful and Great Kidney By: Jamal McBroom

2.  Before learning about parts of Kidney lets learn what it is for.  Excretion- The removal from the body of the waste products through Metabolic pathways  Examples- Urinating, Defecation,  Kidney also produces urine and excretes ammonium, urea, and are responsible for reabsorption of water, glucose, and amino acids.

4.  Bean shaped  Reddish brown color  Located on either side of the vertebral column just below the diaphragm in lower back where they are partially protected by the rib cage.  Right kidney is slightly lower than left kidney

5.  Each kidney (left and right) is connected to a Ureter  Is a duct that takes urine from kidney and transports it to the Urinary bladder.  Urine is stored there until it is voided by body through the single Urethra (t ubular structure that receives urine from bladder).  Males urethra passes through penis, females opening of the urethra is ventral to that of the vagina

6.  It is the outer most region of the kidney and has a somewhat granular appearance.  It also contains blood vessels and cortical collecting duct.  Ultrafiltration occurs here as well

7.  Consists of six to ten cone-shaped sections called renal pyramids that lie on the inner side of the renal cortex.  It is the innermost part of the kidney  Nephrons are located here

8.  Hollow Chamber  Urine is collected in here  Urine is then carried to the urinary bladder by the Ureter.

9.  Also called Renal calculus  Is a hard granule of phosphate, calcium, protein, or uric acid that forms in the renal pelvis.  Many pass unnoticed  Larger ones and jagged stones though can block renal pelvis or ureter causing intense pain and damage

10.  Each kidney is composed of over 1 million tiny tubules called nephrons.  Nephrons produce urine in a kidney.  Loceted primarily in renal cortex but some are located in renal medulla  Is made of several parts

11.  Blind end of a Nephron pushed on itself to form a cuplike structure called glomerular capsule or Bowman’s capsule  Outer layer is composed of squamous epithelial cells  Inner layer composed of specialized cells that allow easy passage of molecules

12.  From glomerular capsule is the proximal convoluted tubule.  It is lined by cells with many mitochondria and tightly packed microvilli.  Then, Simple squamous epithelium appears in the loop of the nephron (loop of henle)  Loop has descending and ascending limb.

13.  Its not over yet… More parts

14.  Next, Distal convoluted tubule.  Several Distal convoluted tubule enter one collecting duct.  Collecting duct transports urine down through the renal medulla and delivers it to the renal pelvis.  Loop of Nephron and the collecting duct give the pyramids of the renal medulla their striped apperance

15.  Each Neprhon has it’s own blood supply.  Renal Artery branches into numerous small arteries, which then branch into arterioles, one for each Nephron.  Each arteriole (called an afferent arteriole), divides to form a capillary bed, the Glomerulus which is surrounded by the glomerular capsule.

16.  Glomerulus drains into an efferent arteriole, which subsequently branches into a second capillary bed around the tubular parts of the nephron.  These capillaries are called peritubular capillaries.  These capillaries lead to venules that join to form veins leading to the renal vein, a vessel that enters the inferior vena cava