Mammalian Kidney Investigation
Mammalian Kidney Investigation
Background Information:
The kidneys are dark red bean -shaped organs that are a very important pair of organs that perform many functions. The kidneys have a convex side and a concave side. They are each about the size of a fist. The kidneys are located near the middle back of a human, just below the rib cage, one on each side of the spine. One kidney is located below the spleen on the left side of the body, whereas the other kidney is located just below the liver. The kidneys receive blood from the paired renal arteries and the blood is drained into the paired renal veins. In a human body, the kidneys process about 200 quarts of blood to sift out about 2 quarts of waste products and extra water everyday. Kidneys also produce various hormones.
The function as two main functions- excretion and osmoregulation. Excretion is the process by which waste products and other non- useful materials are eliminated from an organism. Osmoregulation is active regulation of the osmotic pressure to maintain the homeostasis of the organism’s water content. In other word, it keeps the organism’s fluid from becoming too diluted or too concentrated.
Each of the kidneys is confined in a transparent membrane called the renal capsule. This protects the kidney again infections and distress. The substance of the kidney is divided into two distinct regions: an inner medulla and an outer cortex. The renal medulla is made up of conical masses of tissue called renal pyramid. The bases of the renal pyramids are directed towards the convex surface of the kidney. The renal cortex forms a shell around the medulla. The tissues dip into the medulla between the adjacent renal pyramids to form renal columns. The granular appearance of the cortex is due to the random arrangement of tiny tubules associated with nephrons, the functional units of the kidney. Nephrons are the most basic structure of the kidneys, it is a long, fine tubule around 30-55mm long and each
Background Information:
The kidneys are dark red bean -shaped organs that are a very important pair of organs that perform many functions. The kidneys have a convex side and a concave side. They are each about the size of a fist. The kidneys are located near the middle back of a human, just below the rib cage, one on each side of the spine. One kidney is located below the spleen on the left side of the body, whereas the other kidney is located just below the liver. The kidneys receive blood from the paired renal arteries and the blood is drained into the paired renal veins. In a human body, the kidneys process about 200 quarts of blood to sift out about 2 quarts of waste products and extra water everyday. Kidneys also produce various hormones.
The function as two main functions- excretion and osmoregulation. Excretion is the process by which waste products and other non- useful materials are eliminated from an organism. Osmoregulation is active regulation of the osmotic pressure to maintain the homeostasis of the organism’s water content. In other word, it keeps the organism’s fluid from becoming too diluted or too concentrated.
Each of the kidneys is confined in a transparent membrane called the renal capsule. This protects the kidney again infections and distress. The substance of the kidney is divided into two distinct regions: an inner medulla and an outer cortex. The renal medulla is made up of conical masses of tissue called renal pyramid. The bases of the renal pyramids are directed towards the convex surface of the kidney. The renal cortex forms a shell around the medulla. The tissues dip into the medulla between the adjacent renal pyramids to form renal columns. The granular appearance of the cortex is due to the random arrangement of tiny tubules associated with nephrons, the functional units of the kidney. Nephrons are the most basic structure of the kidneys, it is a long, fine tubule around 30-55mm long and each