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Nephrons have two lengths with different urine-concentrating capacities: long juxtamedullary nephrons and short cortical nephrons. The four mechanisms used to create and process the filtrate (the result of which is to convert blood to urine) are filtration, reabsorption, secretion and excretion.
Each adult human kidney contains around 1 million nephrons, while a mouse kidney contains only about 12,500 nephrons. The kidneys also carry out functions independent of the nephrons. For example, they convert a precursor of vitamin D to its active form, calcitriol; and synthesize the hormones erythropoietin and renin.
Upon presentation of decreased renal function, it is recommended to perform a history and physical examination, as well as performing a renal ultrasound and a urinalysis. [ citation needed ] The most relevant items in the history are medications , edema , nocturia , gross hematuria , family history of kidney disease, diabetes and polyuria .
The body is very sensitive to its pH. Outside the range of pH that is compatible with life, proteins are denatured and digested, enzymes lose their ability to function, and the body is unable to sustain itself. The kidneys maintain acid-base homeostasis by regulating the pH of the blood plasma. Gains and losses of acid and base must be balanced.
The human urinary system, also known as the urinary tract or renal system, consists of the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and the urethra.The purpose of the urinary system is to eliminate waste from the body, regulate blood volume and blood pressure, control levels of electrolytes and metabolites, and regulate blood pH.
The kidney has many functions, which a well-functioning kidney realizes by filtering blood in a process known as glomerular filtration. A major measure of kidney function is the glomerular filtration rate (GFR). The glomerular filtration rate is the flow rate of filtered fluid through the kidney.
In mice, the kidneys are approximately 1 cm (0.4 in) long, weighing 400 mg, with 16,000 nephrons, while in the killer whale, the kidney length exceeds 25 cm (10 in), the mass is approximately 4.5 kg (10 lb), with the number of nephrons of the order of 10,000,000. At the same time, the killer whale kidneys are reniculate, with each renicule ...
Metanephros differs from pronephros and mesonephros in development, position in the body, shape, number of nephrons, organization and drainage. [ 46 ] [ 44 ] Unlike mesonephros, after the end of its development process, metanephros has no longer the ability to add new nephrons through nephrogenesis , [ 5 ] although many reptiles show ongoing ...