What are kidneys?
All vertebrate animals have 2 kidneys. These bean-shaped organs, about the size of a fist, serve to eliminate waste from the body and thus maintain adequate levels of bodily fluids, such as blood pressure, among others.
Kidneys are among the most important organs in the body, which is why, in ancient Egypt, they were preserved along with the brain from the deceased.
What is their structure?
The kidneys are located at the back of the abdominal cavity, with one on each side of the spine.
Generally, the right kidney is usually slightly smaller than the left, to make space for the liver.
In men, each kidney typically weighs between 125 and 170 grams, while in women they are slightly smaller, weighing between 115 and 155 grams. Despite not being very large organs, they receive between 20% and 25% of the blood pumped by the heart. Blood enters the kidneys through an artery and exits through renal veins.
Each of our kidneys excretes urine through a tube called the ureter, which connects to the bladder.*1
What are their functions and why are they important?
As mentioned earlier, kidneys are one of our vital organs as they perform the following functions: *2-*1
- Filter blood and extract toxic substances from the body through urine. The two most discarded components are urea and uric acid.
- Maintain internal balance constantly and thus enable the proper functioning of all body cells, thanks to the reabsorption of nutrients such as glucose, amino acids, bicarbonate, sodium, water, phosphates, chlorine, magnesium, and potassium ions.
- Maintenance of urinary pH, to ensure it is neither acidic nor alkaline.
- They produce hormone-like substances that stimulate red blood cell production, regulate blood pressure, and keep the skeletal bones strong and healthy.
References
*1 https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/ articles/ 305488.php
*2 http://trasplantaments.gencat.cat/es/detall/article/Ronyo-funcions-malalties-i-prevencio
