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Kidney is made up of tiny tubules called nephrons.

Kidney receives unfiltered oxygenated blood from heart through Renal artery. The blood flows through the Afferent arterioles to the nephrons. The cup like structure of nephron (Bowman's capsule) has capillary tuft called glomerulus inside it. Blood flows to the glomerulus where the blood pressure forces the water and minerals to be filtered out of the blood into the spaces made by bowman's capsule. The filtrates moves to the convoluted tubules (tubular portion of nephron). The blood leaves the glomerulus through efferent arterioles and moves into vasa recta (capillaries inter-wined with the tubules). In tubules (Proximal, Distal, Henle's loop) the unwanted molecules filtered from blood are added to urine while some useful molecules are reabsorbed in blood through vasa recta. The vasa recta capillaries combine to form efferent venules. Efferent venules from all nephrons join together to form Renal vein. Through renal vein blood leaves the kidney.

Reabsoption of some molecules in blood


The filterate (salt and water and all filtered organic solutes primarily glucose and amino acids) passes through the tubules (proximal , henles loop , distal tubule). In the proximal tubule, water and some good molecules are absorbed back into the body, while a few other, unwanted molecules/ions are added to the urine. Selective reabsorption occurs in the proximal convoluted tubule. Glucose, vitamins, important ions and most amino acids are reabsorbed from the tubule back into the capillaries near the proximal convoluted tubule. Then, the filtrate goes down the loop of Henle (in the medulla) where more water is removed (back into the bloodstream) on the way down, but the up side is impervious to water. Some NaCl (salt) is removed from the filtrate at this point to adjust the amount in the fluid which surrounds the tubule. Capillaries wind around and exchange materials with the tubule. In the distal tubule, more water and some good solutes are removed from the urine, while some more unwanted molecules are put in. Some wastes are actively secreted into the fluid in the distal convoluted tubule by a + + + process called tubular secretion. Some of these are H , K , NH toxic substances and 4 foreign substances (drugs, penicillin, uric acid, creatine).

+ Secretion of H adjusts the pH of the blood. Each distal convoluted tubule delivers its filtrate to a system of collecting ducts. Lower portions of the collecting duct are also permeable to urea, allowing some of it to enter the medulla of the kidney, thus maintaining its high concentration (which is very important for the nephron). Urine leaves the medullary collecting ducts through the renal papillae, emptying into the renal calyces, the renal pelvis, and finally into the urinary bladder via the ureter.

Regulation of blood pH during the blood circulation in kidney The kidneys provide a slower but more powerful means to regulate pH. They + excrete or absorb hydrogen ions (H ) and bicarbonate ions (HCO ) as necessary 3 for adjusting pH. When the pH is low (acidic), hydrogen ions are excreted and bicarbonate ions are reabsorbed. The loss of hydrogen ions from the blood make it less acidic. Bicarbonate ions in the blood also reduce pH by taking up hydrogen ions (see the equation above). When the pH is too high (too basic), fewer hydrogen ions are excreted and fewer sodium and bicarbonate ions are reabsorbed. Osmoregulation ADH (Antidiuretic Hormone) increases the permeability of the distal convoluted tubule and collecting duct. If the osmotic pressure of blood increases (becomes more salty, not enough water); the posterior pituitary will release ADH and the permeability of the collecting ducts will increase, allowing water to leave by osmosis. The water returns to the blood. If osmotic pressure of blood decreases, pituitary does not release ADH and more water is lost in urine due to decreased permeability of the collecting duct.

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