Human Kidney With Bladder

Human Kidney Structure and Function

Kidneys are paired, bean-shaped organs located on either side of the spine, just below the rib cage.

Each kidney contains about one million nephrons, the basic filtering units that remove waste from the blood and regulate water, electrolytes, and pH balance.

Blood enters the kidney via the renal artery, filters through the glomeruli, and exits by the renal vein.

Filtered waste and excess water become urine, which collects in the renal pelvis before moving to the ureters.

The cortex (outer layer) and medulla (inner region with pyramids) are key anatomical features within the kidney.

Ureters and Bladder: Urine Pathway

Each kidney connects to the bladder via a ureter, a long tube that transports urine using muscle contractions called peristalsis.

The urinary bladder is a muscular, balloon-like organ located in the pelvis that stores urine until it is expelled from the body through urination.

When full, the bladder signals the urge to urinate, and coordinated muscle contractions help eliminate urine via the urethra.