#FUNCTIONAL UNIT OF THE KIDNEY FULL#

Urine leaves the kidney via the ureter for temporary storage in the bladder. Each kidney contains over a million functional units, called nephrons, in the parenchyma (cortex and medulla). This regulation of ion balance and water content (Osmoregulation) of the blood plasma means that all the other body fluids will also be regulated. A healthy adult possesses between one and one and a half million nephrons.

The renal corpuscle is made up of a tuft of capillaries known as a glomerulus and an enveloping Bowman's capsule. It is made up of two parts: a renal corpuscle and a renal tubule. The nephrons are responsible for filtration, excretion and resorption, and they regulate ion balance, water content, help to stabilise blood pressure. The nephron is the kidney's microscopic structure and functional unit. The kidney contains about 1 million functional units called nephrons, which are continuous with a system of collecting The kidney is organised into many lobes, organised in a pyramidal structure, where the outer portion is made up of cortex, and the inner portion is made up of the medulla.

#FUNCTIONAL UNIT OF THE KIDNEY FULL#

It has this appearance because it is full of ovoid filtration units.Īnd a medullar (inner region) which has a more striated appearance. The kidney has a granular cortex (outer region). Otherwise they have very little connective tissue between the nephrons. The kidneys have a tough fibrous capsule (irregular dense connective tissue) for protection. Two bean shaped kidneys are attached to the posterior abdominal wall, one on each side of the vertebral column.

Functional unit of the kidney