Care and Planning
- Submitted by: gift25
- Views: 375
- Category: Science
- Date Submitted: 01/03/2011 02:40 AM
- Pages: 3
- Report this Essay
The kidney
The kidneys
The kidneys are two bean-shaped organs about the same size as a fist. They are located near the middle of the back, one on either side of the spine. The kidneys are part of the body system called the urinary system. They filter the blood. As the blood passes through them, waste products and unneeded water are collected and turned into urine. This happens in tiny tubes called nephrons. Each kidney has about 1 million nephrons.
The urine drains into the bladder down a tube called the ureter. There are 2 ureters – one from each kidney. Another tube called the urethra carries the urine from the bladder out of the body.
Hormones
The kidneys also produce three important hormones. Erythropoietin (EPO) tells the bone marrow to make red blood cells. Renin regulates blood pressure. Calcitriol (a form of Vitamin D) helps the intestine to absorb calcium from the diet.
Where the kidneys are
The kidneys are two bean-shaped organs about the same size as a fist. They are located near the middle of the back, one on either side of the spine.
The kidneys are part of the body system called the urinary system. This system filters waste products out of the blood and makes urine. It is made up of the
* Kidneys
* Ureters
* Bladder
* Prostate (in men)
* Urethra
What the kidneys do
The kidneys filter the blood. As the blood passes through the kidneys, waste products and unneeded water are collected and turned into urine.
The urine is gathered in an area called the renal pelvis at the centre of each kidney. From here it drains into the bladder down a tube called the ureter. There are 2 ureters - one from each kidney. Another tube called the urethra carries the urine from the bladder out of the body.
Inside the kidney, the blood is filtered through very small networks of tubes called nephrons. Each kidney has about 1 million nephrons. Inside the nephrons, waste products in the blood move across from the bloodstream (the capillaries)...
The kidneys
The kidneys are two bean-shaped organs about the same size as a fist. They are located near the middle of the back, one on either side of the spine. The kidneys are part of the body system called the urinary system. They filter the blood. As the blood passes through them, waste products and unneeded water are collected and turned into urine. This happens in tiny tubes called nephrons. Each kidney has about 1 million nephrons.
The urine drains into the bladder down a tube called the ureter. There are 2 ureters – one from each kidney. Another tube called the urethra carries the urine from the bladder out of the body.
Hormones
The kidneys also produce three important hormones. Erythropoietin (EPO) tells the bone marrow to make red blood cells. Renin regulates blood pressure. Calcitriol (a form of Vitamin D) helps the intestine to absorb calcium from the diet.
Where the kidneys are
The kidneys are two bean-shaped organs about the same size as a fist. They are located near the middle of the back, one on either side of the spine.
The kidneys are part of the body system called the urinary system. This system filters waste products out of the blood and makes urine. It is made up of the
* Kidneys
* Ureters
* Bladder
* Prostate (in men)
* Urethra
What the kidneys do
The kidneys filter the blood. As the blood passes through the kidneys, waste products and unneeded water are collected and turned into urine.
The urine is gathered in an area called the renal pelvis at the centre of each kidney. From here it drains into the bladder down a tube called the ureter. There are 2 ureters - one from each kidney. Another tube called the urethra carries the urine from the bladder out of the body.
Inside the kidney, the blood is filtered through very small networks of tubes called nephrons. Each kidney has about 1 million nephrons. Inside the nephrons, waste products in the blood move across from the bloodstream (the capillaries)...