defines the kidney as- one of
a pair of vertebrate and situated in the body cavity near the spinal column that
excrete waste products of metabolism, in humans are bean-shaped organs about 4½
inches (11½ centimeters) long lying behind the peritoneum in a mass of fatty
tissue, and consist chiefly of nephrons by which urine is secreted, collected,
and discharged into the pelvis of the kidney whence it is conveyed by the ureter
to the bladder.
says
the kidneys are complex organs that have numerous biological roles. Their
primary role is to maintain the homeostatic balance of bodily fluids by
filtering and secreting metabolites (such as urea) and minerals from the blood
and excreting them, along with water, as urine. Because the kidneys are poised
to sense plasma concentrations of compounds such as sodium, potassium, hydrogen
ion, oxygen, and glucose, they are important regulators of blood pressure,
glucose metabolism, and erythropoeisis (the process by which red blood cells
(erythrocytes) are produced). The medical field that studies the kidneys and
diseases of the kidney is called nephropology. The prefix nephro- meaning
kidney is from the Ancient Greek word nephros (νεφρός); the adjective
renal meaning related to the kidney is from Latin rēnēs, meaning
kidneys.
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The kidneys are important for removing the waste from your body, this helps maintain homeostasis which keeps your body healthy!!
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1 in 9 adults has chronic kidney disease (CKD).
Diabetes is the number one cause of kidney failure. High blood pressure is the number two cause.
Over 70,000 are on the waiting list for a kidney transplant, but only 17,000 will get a new kidney this year.
82,000 people die each year from
kidney failure.
There are about 470,000 people relying on dialysis or kidney transplants to keep them alive.
Kidneys can come from two types of sources: living donors and cadaver donors.
26 million Americans have CKD and another 20 million more are at increased risk.
Heart disease is the major cause of death in people with CKD.
****Take a few minutes to check out our kidney pictures. They show pictures of healthy kidneys along with diseased kidneys.... it might help make your decision to be a donor a little easier!
