News tagged with kidney Related topics: kidney disease , kidney
failure , kidney function , kidney transplant , patients The
kidneys are paired organs, which have the production of urine as
their primary function. Kidneys are seen in many types of
animals, including vertebrates and some invertebrates. They are
part of the urinary system, but have several secondary functions
concerned with homeostatic functions. These include the
regulation of electrolytes, acid-base balance, and blood
pressure. In producing urine, the kidneys excrete wastes such as
urea and ammonium; the kidneys also are responsible for the
reabsorption of glucose and amino acids. Finally, the kidneys
are important in the production of hormones including vitamin D,
renin and erythropoietin. Located behind the abdominal cavity in
the retroperitoneum, the kidneys receive blood from the paired
renal arteries, and drain into the paired renal veins. Each
kidney excretes urine into a ureter, itself a paired structure
that empties into the urinary b