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The renal circulation supplies the blood to the kidneys via the renal arteries, left and right, which branch directly from the abdominal aorta. Despite their relatively small size, the kidneys receive approximately 20% of the cardiac output .
The typical mammalian kidney consists of a renal capsule, a peripheral cortex, an internal medulla, one or more renal calyces, and a renal pelvis. [7] Although the calyces or renal pelvis may be absent in some species. [7] The medulla is made up of one or more renal pyramids, [8] forming papillae with their innermost parts. [9]
The arterial supply of the kidneys is variable and there may be one or more renal arteries supplying each kidney. [1] It is located above the renal vein. Supernumerary renal arteries (two or more arteries to a single kidney) are the most common renovascular anomaly, occurrence ranging from 25% to 40% of kidneys. [ 8 ]
[2] [3] They are located on the left and right in the retroperitoneal space, and in adult humans are about 12 centimetres (4 + 1 ⁄ 2 inches) in length. [4] [5] They receive blood from the paired renal arteries; blood exits into the paired renal veins. Each kidney is attached to a ureter, a tube that carries excreted urine to the bladder.
The urinary system refers to the structures that produce and transport urine to the point of excretion. In the human urinary system there are two kidneys that are located between the dorsal body wall and parietal peritoneum on both the left and right sides. The formation of urine begins within the functional unit of the kidney, the nephrons.
Metanephros is the most complex form of kidney. [44] Each metanephric kidney is characterized by a large number of nephrons and a highly branched system of collecting tubules and ducts, [28] that open into the ureter. [48] Such branching in the metanephros is unique in relation to the pronephros and mesonephros. [44]
From anterior to posterior, the renal vein exits, the renal artery enters, and the renal pelvis exits the kidney. On the left hand side the hilum is located at the L1 vertebral level and the right kidney at level L1-2. The lower border of the kidneys is usually alongside L3.
There are two poles in the renal corpuscle, a vascular pole and a tubular pole. [4] The vascular pole is a location of the glomerulus. At the vascular pole, the afferent arterioles and efferent arterioles enter and leave the glomerulus in the Bowman's capsule. The tubular pole is at the other end opposite to the vascular pole.