Structure of Human Renal system
The renal system consisting of the organs that produce, collect and eliminate urine and including the kidneys, ureters, urinary bladder and urethra. The bodily system consisting of the organs that produce, collect and eliminate urine and including the kidneys, ureters, urinary bladder and urethra.
Kidneys are two bean – shaped organs, each about the size of your fist, 10 cm long and 6 cm wide, located on either side of the backbone, just below the rib cage and protected by the last two ribs. Kidneys receive the blood from the renal artery, process it, return the processed blood to the body through the renal vein and remove the wastes and other unwanted substances in the urine. A tube, the ureter, arises from the notch (hilum) in the median surface of each kidney and connects behind with the urinary bladder in the lower part of the abdomen. The front end of the ureter is somewhat expanded into the kidney and is called the pelvis. Urine flows from the kidneys through the ureters to the urinary bladder. In the bladder, the urine is stored until it is excreted from the body through the urethra.
There are several functions of the Renal/Urinary System:
- Removal of waste product from the body (mainly urea and uric acid)
- Regulation of electrolyte balance (e.g. sodium, potassium and calcium)
- Regulation acid–base homeostasis
- Controlling blood volume and maintaining blood pressure