20.7: Renal Function and Chronic Kidney Disease
For patients with more severe or end-stage kidney disease, dialysis, or the use of a dialyzer machine to filter the blood and remove toxins when kidney function is decreased, is often indicated. There are …
33.1: Introduction to the Renal System - Medicine LibreTexts
Learning Objectives By the end of this section, you should be able to: 33.1.1 Describe the structure and function of the renal system. 33.1.2 Name common conditions that affect the renal system.
17.8: Endocrine Regulation of Kidney Function
Several hormones have specific, important roles in regulating kidney function. They act to stimulate or inhibit blood flow. Some of these are endocrine, acting from a distance, whereas others are …
24.3B: Glomerular Filtration - Medicine LibreTexts
It is the primary force that drives glomerular filtration. Glomerular filtration is the first step in urine formation and constitutes the basic physiologic function of the kidneys. It describes the process of …
24.2C: Supply of Blood and Nerves to the Kidneys
Because the kidney filters blood, its network of blood vessels is an important component of its structure and function. The arteries, veins, and nerves that supply the kidney enter and exit at the renal hilum.
22.3: Microscopic Anatomy of the Kidney - Medicine LibreTexts
The renal structures that conduct the essential work of the kidney cannot be seen by the naked eye. Only a light or electron microscope can reveal these structures. Even then, serial sections and …
11.8: Filtration, Reabsorption, and Secretion - Medicine LibreTexts
Assessing the excretory function of the kidneys involves determining the GFR. Given that many drugs are excreted in the urine, a decline in renal function can lead to the accumulation of toxic substances …
22.2: Overview of the Kidney - Medicine LibreTexts
The left kidney is located at about the T12 to L3 vertebrae, whereas the right is lower due to slight displacement by the liver. Upper portions of the kidneys are somewhat protected by the eleventh and …
25.4D: The Role of the Kidneys in Acid-Base Balance
The kidneys help maintain the acid–base balance by excreting hydrogen ions into the urine and reabsorbing bicarbonate from the urine.
2.4: Renal Regulation of Acid-Base Balance - Medicine LibreTexts
The kidney responds to an acid load by increasing tubular production and urinary excretion of N4H +. The mechanism involves an acidosis-stimulated enhancement of glutamine utilisation by the kidney …