HSC 4555 Lecture Notes - Lecture 15: Inulin, Osteodystrophy, Reabsorption
Document Summary
The kidneys are located in the retroperitoneal space, just under the diaphragm. The right kidney is slightly lower than the left. The costovertebral angle is an external landmark useful for locating the kidneys. The kidney can be divided into three principal anatomic sections: the pelvis, the medulla, and the cortex. The pelvis is composed of urinary collecting structures, called calices. The medulla is the middle portion and contains the renal pyramids. The cortex is the outer portion and contains glomeruli and nephron tubules. The kidneys are supplied with lymphatics to drain excess interstitial fluid and proteins and with sympathetic neurons to regulate blood supply and renin release. Blood is supplied to the kidneys by the renal artery, which divides several times to form the interlobar, arcuate, and interlobular arteries. The interlobular arteries branch multiple times to form afferent arterioles for each of the millions of kidney glomeruli. Each nephron has its own afferent arteriole, capillary tuft, and efferent arteriole.
