Explain the role the kidney has in urine production and osmoregulation.

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The Kidney

The kidneys are part of the urinary system along with the ureter, bladder and urethra. They filter the blood plasma and return most of the water and solutes back to the bloodstream. The remaining solutes and water form urine. This is stored in the bladder and then passed out of the body through the urethra. The following information will attempt to explain the role the kidney has in urine production and osmoregulation.

The kidneys are two bean-shaped organs. They are located in the middle of your back, just below your rib cage, on either side of your spine (4) The right kidney is lower than the left to make room for the liver. In adults, a kidney is about 10-12cm long, 5-7cm wide and 3cm thick (1). It has a concaved shape which, means it curves inwards. This area is called the hillus and is where the ureter, blood vessels and nerves enter the kidney (2). Although the kidneys are small organs, they receive about 20% of the blood pumped by the heart. This large blood supply enables them to do a number of tasks, which have been put in a table in appendix