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A giant ureteral stone with dimensions of approximately 6 × 5 × 4 cm and weighing 61 grams extracted from the left ureter of a 19-year-old male. A kidney stone can move from the kidney and become lodged inside the ureter, which can block the flow of urine, as well as cause a sharp cramp in the back, side, or lower abdomen. [9]
The urinary tract including the ureters, as well as their function to drain urine from the kidneys, has been described by Galen in the second century AD. [11] The first to examine the ureter through an internal approach, called ureteroscopy, rather than surgery was Hampton Young in 1929. [10]
The adjective renal, meaning related to the kidney, is from the Latin rēnēs, meaning kidneys; the prefix nephro-is from the Ancient Greek word for kidney, nephros (νεφρός). [37] For example, surgical removal of the kidney is a nephrectomy, while a reduction in kidney function is called renal dysfunction.
All vertebrates have kidneys. The kidneys are the main organ that allows species to adapt to different environments, including fresh and salt water, terrestrial life and desert climate. [7] Depending on the environment in which animals have evolved, the functions and structure of the kidneys may differ. [8]
In the human adult, the ureters are usually 25–30 cm (10–12 in) long. In humans, the ureters arise from the renal pelvis on the medial aspect of each kidney before descending towards the bladder on the front of the psoas major muscle. The ureters cross the pelvic brim near the bifurcation of the iliac arteries (which they run over).
Renal physiology (Latin renes, "kidneys") is the study of the physiology of the kidney. This encompasses all functions of the kidney, including maintenance of acid-base balance; regulation of fluid balance; regulation of sodium, potassium, and other electrolytes; clearance of toxins; absorption of glucose, amino acids, and other small molecules ...
The name reflects that each renal pelvis collects urine from the calyces and funnels it into the ureter like a wash basin collects water and funnels it into a drain pipe. The renal pelvis is occasionally called the pyelum (from Greek πύελος pýelos , "trough", ‘anything hollow’), and the combining form pyelo- denotes the renal pelvis ...
The function of the kidneys is regulated by the autonomic nervous system and hormones. [36] The potential for regeneration in mature kidneys is limited [37] [38] because new nephrons cannot be formed. [39] But in cases of limited injury, renal function can be restored through compensatory mechanisms. [40]