What Is The Kidney And How Do Kidneys Function?
The kidney is either one of a pair of organs in the body that function to: • maintain proper water and electrolyte balance • regulate acid-base concentration • filter the blood of metabolic wastes, which are then excreted as urine. Your kidneys are located near your back, alongside your spine, but above your waistline. Each kidney contains over a million nephrons. These nephrons are necessary for proper kidney function. The nephrons are composed of tiny blood vessels, called the glomerulus, which filter all kinds of waste products, salts, water, electrolytes and plasma from your blood stream. Each kidney is a tiny organ, weighing only 150 grams each, yet together they handle all of the filtration for the entire body. Once the kidneys filter the excess wastes that have circulated through your body, they are then able to turn the excess waste products into urine. The urine flows out of your urethra, and out of your body. Read More About Kidney Problems: Nephrotoxicity | Azotemia | Protei
