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Kidney Structure

Kidney Structure

The kidneys are two large bean-shaped organs located in the upper abdomen. They filter the blood several times a day to remove toxins and rebalance water and electrolytes of the circulatory system via the renal veins. The kidneys receive blood directly from the heart via the renal arteries. These arteries enter the kidney at the hilum, the concave surface of the bean, where they branch and divide into smaller vessels and capillaries.

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...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 5, 2026

Optimization of Renal Organoid and Organotypic Culture for Vascularization, Extended Development, and Improved Microscopy Imaging

Optimization of Renal Organoid and Organotypic Culture for Vascularization, Extended Development, and Improved Microscopy Imaging

Published on: March 28, 2020

Dynamic Kidney Organoid Microphysiological Analysis Platform.

SoonGweon Hong^1,2, Minsun Song^1,2, Tomoya Miyoshi¹

¹Division of Renal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.

Biorxiv : the Preprint Server for Biology

|November 18, 2024

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

A new microphysiological analysis platform (MAP) improves kidney organoid development and drug testing. This technology enhances reproducibility and accuracy for advancing kidney research and precision medicine.

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Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 5, 2026

Optimization of Renal Organoid and Organotypic Culture for Vascularization, Extended Development, and Improved Microscopy Imaging

Optimization of Renal Organoid and Organotypic Culture for Vascularization, Extended Development, and Improved Microscopy Imaging

Published on: March 28, 2020

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Published on: April 13, 2021

Efficient Vascularization of Kidney Organoids through Intracelomic Transplantation in Chicken Embryos

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Published on: February 17, 2023

Area of Science:

Biomedical Engineering
Regenerative Medicine
Pharmacology

Background:

Kidney organoids offer a model for human development and disease but face reproducibility and accuracy challenges.
Existing models limit detailed analysis of nephron segments and drug responses.
Advanced applications in bioscience and pharmaceuticals require improved organoid utility.

Purpose of the Study:

To introduce a dynamic kidney organoid microphysiological analysis platform (MAP).
To enhance the development, modeling, and assay capabilities of kidney organoids.
To expand the utility of organoids in kidney physiology, pathology, and pharmaceutical research.

Main Methods:

Precise control of the dynamic microenvironment within the MAP.
Miniaturization of kidney organoids for detailed nephron segment analysis.
Application of MAP for disease modeling and therapeutic exploration.

Main Results:

MAP facilitates high-throughput and reproducible human kidney organoid development.
Enhanced analysis of nephron segments aids in assessing drug nephrotoxicity and safety.
MAP effectively recapitulates polycystic kidney disease pathology for therapeutic testing.

Conclusions:

The kidney organoid MAP enhances pharmaceutical research, standardization, and analytics.
This platform elevates the quality and utility of organoids in biology and precision medicine.
MAP is poised to advance kidney research, drug development, and personalized treatments.