How Your Kidneys Work
Importance of Kidneys
- Kidneys filter blood to remove waste and extra water, creating urine.
- They maintain a balance of water, salts and minerals in your blood.
- They produce hormones that control blood pressure, make red blood cells, and keep bones healthy.
How They Work
- Each kidney has about a million nephrons with glomeruli that filter blood.
- Tubules in nephrons reabsorb needed substances and remove wastes.
Blood Flow
- Blood enters through the renal artery, gets filtered, and exits through the renal vein. Only a small amount becomes urine.