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External Anatomy of the Kidney

External Anatomy of the Kidney

The kidneys are a pair of bean-shaped organs in the human body that play a critical role in maintaining overall health. They filter out waste products from the blood, regulate blood pressure, maintain electrolyte balance, and stimulate the production of red blood cells.
The kidneys are located in the retroperitoneal space on either side of the vertebral column, protected posteriorly by the 11th and 12th ribs. The right kidney sits slightly lower than the left owing to the presence of the liver...

Internal Anatomy of the Kidney

Internal Anatomy of the Kidney

The kidneys are essential organs in the human body, performing a myriad of tasks that maintain homeostasis and overall health.
Anatomical Position and Dimensions
The kidneys are retroperitoneal organs positioned against the posterior abdominal wall on either side of the spine, roughly between the twelfth thoracic and third lumbar vertebrae. Each kidney is typically 10-12 cm long, 5-6 cm wide, and 3-4 cm thick, weighing about 150 grams.
Renal Cortex
The outermost region of the kidney is the...

Nephrons

Nephrons

The kidneys are intricate organs with millions of working units known as nephrons. Each nephron features two major structures: the renal corpuscle, which facilitates blood plasma filtration, and the renal tubule, which handles the glomerular filtrate. Blood supply is directly linked to the nephrons. The renal corpuscle consists of the glomerulus, a capillary network, and the Bowman's capsule, a double-walled epithelial structure that encases the glomerulus. The filtering of blood plasma happens...

Ureters

Ureters

The ureters are retroperitoneal tubes located on either side of the vertebral column. They are responsible for transporting urine from each kidney to the urinary bladder. These tubes have thick walls and are approximately 25-30 cm long. Their diameter is around 10 mm at the renal pelvis, gradually narrowing to 1 mm as the ureter obliquely enters the posterior bladder wall through the ureteric orifices. The shape of these orifices is slit-like, which helps to prevent urine backflow toward the...

Development of the Sexual Organs in the Embryo and Fetus

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Anatomy of the Genitourinary System I: Kidneys and Ureters

Anatomy of the Genitourinary System I: Kidneys and Ureters

The upper urinary system comprises two kidneys and two ureters, which are crucial in filtering blood and forming urine.KidneysLocation and Structure:The kidneys are two bean-shaped organs positioned behind the peritoneum on either side of the spine.Kidneys are between the 12th thoracic (T12) and the 3rd lumbar (L3) vertebrae.The position of the liver causes the right kidney to sit slightly lower than the left.Protective Layers:Each kidney is enveloped in a tough, fibrous membrane called the...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 13, 2026

Isolation and Culture of Cells from the Nephrogenic Zone of the Embryonic Mouse Kidney

Isolation and Culture of Cells from the Nephrogenic Zone of the Embryonic Mouse Kidney

Published on: April 22, 2011

Branching morphogenesis in the developing kidney is governed by rules that pattern the ureteric tree.

James G Lefevre¹, Kieran M Short^2,3, Timothy O Lamberton¹

¹Division of Genomics and Development of Disease, Institute for Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia.

Development (Cambridge, England)

|October 18, 2017

Summary

Kidney development involves iterative ureteric bud branching. This study reveals a conserved, asymmetric branching pattern governed by local growth mechanisms, crucial for normal kidney formation.

Keywords:

Branching morphogenesis Mathematical modelling Ureteric tree

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Dissection and Culture of Mouse Embryonic Kidney

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Area of Science:

Developmental biology
Organogenesis
Urology

Background:

Metanephric kidney development relies on ureteric bud branching morphogenesis.
Understanding the precise patterning of this branching is key to comprehending kidney formation.

Purpose of the Study:

To identify and characterize the underlying spatial patterning of ureteric bud ramification.
To investigate the mechanisms governing this branching pattern and its conservation.

Main Methods:

Analysis of ureteric bud branching patterns in developing kidneys.
Development of tip-state models to simulate branching morphogenesis.
Spatial analysis and investigation of mouse mutants with altered tip distribution.

Main Results:

A conserved, highly reproducible asymmetric branching pattern was identified in the ureteric tree.
A 'half-delay' branching model accurately describes the observed patterning.
Mutual suppression between growing ureteric tips appears to drive asymmetry, with disruption observed in specific mouse mutants.

Conclusions:

Kidney development follows a conserved, reiterative pattern of asymmetric bifurcation.
This patterning is controlled by intrinsic and locally operative mechanisms.
The findings provide insights into the fundamental principles of branching morphogenesis in organ development.