kidney

(KID-nee) Speaker

One of a pair of organs in the abdomen. The kidneys remove waste and extra water from the blood (as urine) and help keep chemicals (such as sodium, potassium, and calcium) balanced in the body. The kidneys also make hormones that help control blood pressure and stimulate bone marrow to make red blood cells.

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Anatomy of the male urinary system showing the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra

Figure

Anatomy of the male urinary system showing the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra. Urine is made in the renal tubules and collects in the renal pelvis of each kidney. The urine flows from the kidneys through the ureters to the bladder. The urine is (more...)

Anatomy of the female urinary system showing the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra

Figure

Anatomy of the female urinary system showing the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra. Urine is made in the renal tubules and collects in the renal pelvis of each kidney. The urine flows from the kidneys through the ureters to the bladder. The urine (more...)