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Renal physiology

Authoring team

The normal kidney has three functions:

  • the excretion of waste products
  • the homeostatic control of extracellular fluid volume and composition
  • hormone production i.e. renin, erythropoietin & calcitriol

There are 1 million basic functional units, called nephrons, in each kidney.

Nephrons are composed of:

  • glomeruli - where a selective ultrafiltrate of the blood is formed
  • tubules - where selective reabsorption of filtered water and solutes occurs

Also vital to the function of the kidney are:

  • the blood vessels
  • the interstitium

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The content herein is provided for informational purposes and does not replace the need to apply professional clinical judgement when diagnosing or treating any medical condition. A licensed medical practitioner should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions.

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