Kidney Essay

The kidney is a bean shaped organ found in the lumbar region of the body. The kidney is one of the most important organs in our body. When the kidney is not working correctly it effects many other systems in the body. The three main functions of the kidney are filtering the blood, reabsorbing key molecules and maintaining water and ion balance. Although the kidney has many other functions these are the three that will be discussed in this paper. Our kidneys filter up to 200 quarts of blood every day. According to the … the kidney filters out waste products like urea, which is a nitrogen-based toxin created when amino acids are broken down.(healthline) The kidney also filters out excess salt and water. The filtering all happens in the nephrons

According to the …. reabsorption ions needed in the body happens inside the lumen of the nephron, small molecules and ions are reabsorbed through different types of diffusion.(…) Kidneys are responsible for the balance of many key substances, including glucose, urea, sodium, amino acids, chloride and potassium to name just few. According to …… there are specialized proteins called transporters located on the membranes of the various cells of the nephron. These proteins aid in active transport of some of the larger ions, others are reabsorbed through passive diffusion. Many of these ions including glucose, potassium and chloride are main components of other functions in the other systems in the body. The kidney being able to reabsorb these key molecules is crucial. Sodium reabsorption is especially important because it is needed for a sodium potassium balance used throughout body. Muscle contractions including cardiac muscle and nerve impulses all depend on a sodium potassium balance that is maintained by the

Water balance in the kidney directly effects the blood water balance in the body. Soso discusses how our body’s cells are filled with a tissue fluid that is ideally kept at an isotonic state.(..) When at an isotonic state the concentration of cell fluid is the same as the cell contents. When the water balance in the cell is too high or too low cells can shrink or become bloated and lyse. According to the thirst is stimulated by an increase in plasma osmolality, a decrease in plasma volume, or a decrease in blood pressure. The water balance in the body also directly effects blood pressure.(…) Water balance is a very important part of the kidney’s many functions because the water balance effects, blood pressure, hydration status, and cardiac functions along with other