APII MODULE 5 Kidney Overview QUESTIONS ANS SOLUTIONS

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The urinary system is composed of a pair of kidneys, each with one ureter which leads to the urinary bladder from which the urethra carries wastes as urine from the body. The ureters and urethra are t... ubes which transport the urine from kidney to bladder and bladder to the outside the body respectively. The bladder is a urine storage container. The kidneys serve many functions among which are: fluid homeostasis, filtration of wastes and homeostasis of blood volume and chemical makeup. Kidney Anatomy An adult kidney is bean-shaped, about the size of a can of soup and weighs about 5 ounces. The right kidney (because of the liver's location just above it) lies slightly lower than the left and both are protected by the rib cage since they are located in the lumbar region between the T-12 and L-3 vertebra. The kidney's medial surface is concave and has a cleft called the renal hilus leading to a space within the kidney called the renal sinus. The ureters, blood vessels, and nerves are located in the sinus and entering the kidney at the hilus. On top of each kidney is an adrenal gland. The kidney surface is protected by three layers of specialized tissue. The renal capsule is a tough fibrous outer skin of the kidney which protects it from injury and infection. Outside of the renal capsule is a fatty layer that protects the kidney from trauma which is called the adipose capsule. The outer renal fascia is dense fibrous connective tissue which keeps the kidney in place inside the abdominal cavity. The three separate regions evident in a vertical section of the kidney are the cortex, the medulla, and the pelvis. The outer renal cortex, just inside the renal ...............................CONTINUED [Show More]

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