Organ: Kidney

Introduction: Kidney

The kidneys are a pair of bean-shaped organs at the back of the middle abdomen at approximately waist level. They take water from the blood and extract waste products thus producing urine that is stored in the bladder. The tubes between kidneys and the bladder are called ureters.

The kidney is the body's main blood filtration system. It removes waste and dangerous substances from the blood stream and excretes them when you urinate. Damage or failure to the kidney is thus a dangerous situation.

Descriptions of Kidney

Kidney: One of a pair of organs in the abdomen. Kidneys remove waste from the blood (as urine), produce erythropoietin (a substance that stimulates red blood cell production), and play a role in blood pressure regulation.
Source: National Institute of Health

Kidney: either of two bean-shaped excretory organs that filter wastes (especially urea) from the blood and excrete them and water in urine; urine passes out of the kidney through ureters to the bladder
Source: WordNet 2.1

Kidney : body organ that filters blood for the secretion of urine and that regulates ion concentrations.
Source: CRISP

Article Excerpts about Kidney

Your kidneys are bean-shaped organs, each about the size of your fist. They are located near the middle of your back, just below the rib cage. The kidneys are sophisticated trash collectors. Every day, your kidneys process about 200 quarts of blood to sift out about 2 quarts of waste products and extra water. The waste and extra water become urine, which flows to your bladder through tubes called ureters (YOOR-uh-ters). Your bladder (BLAD-ur) stores urine until you go to the bathroom. (Source: excerpt from What Are Kidney Stones: NIDDK)

Healthy kidneys clean your blood by removing excess fluid, minerals, and wastes. They also make hormones that keep your bones strong and your blood healthy. When your kidneys fail, harmful wastes build up in your body, your blood pressure may rise, and your body may retain excess fluid and not make enough red blood cells. When this happens, you need treatment to replace the work of your failed kidneys. (Source: excerpt from Kidney Failure Choosing a Treatment That's Right for You: NIDDK)

One of two bean-shaped organs that filter wastes from the blood. The kidneys are located near the middle of the back. They create urine , which is delivered to the bladder through tubes called ureters . (Source: excerpt from Kidney Failure Glossary: NIDDK)

Your kidneys are bean-shaped organs, each about the size of your fist. They are located near the middle of your back, just below the rib cage. The kidneys are sophisticated reprocessing machines. Every day, your kidneys process about 200 quarts of blood to sift out about 2 quarts of waste products and extra water. The waste and extra water become urine, which flows to your bladder through tubes called ureters. Your bladder stores urine until you go to the bathroom. (Source: excerpt from Your Kidneys and How They Work: NIDDK)

The kidneys are bean-shaped organs about the size of your fists. They are near the middle of the back, just below the rib cage. The kidneys remove urea from the blood through tiny filtering units called nephrons. Each nephron consists of a ball formed of small blood capillaries, called a glomerulus, and a small tube called a renal tubule. Urea, together with water and other waste substances, forms the urine as it passes through the nephrons and down the renal tubules of the kidney. (Source: excerpt from Your Urinary System and How It Works: NIDDK)

The kidneys are two reddish-brown, bean-shaped organs located just above the waist, one on each side of the spine. They are part of the urinary system . Their main function is to filter blood and produce urine to rid the body of waste. As blood flows through the kidneys, they remove waste products and unneeded water. The resulting liquid, urine, collects in the middle of each kidney in an area called the renal pelvis. Urine drains from each kidney through a long tube, the ureter , into the bladder , where it is stored. Urine leaves the body through another tube, called the urethra . (Source: excerpt from What You Need To Know About Kidney Cancer: NCI)

Summary Information: Kidney

Kidney: Pair of internal organs that produce urine from the blood.

Condition count: 53 ; see list below.

Organ subtypes: nephrons

Organ types: Organs (323)

Produces: urine

Number: 2 kidneys (left and right)

Related organs: ureters (4), bladder (24), urethra (4), urinary system (32), urine (2), waist, nephrons, renal pelvis, renal medulla

Main condition: Kidney conditions

Organs: list of all organs

Diseases List for Kidney:

The following list of medical conditions have 'Kidney' or similar listed as an affected body part in our database:

A