The kidneys
Kidneys · ren
Two bean-shaped organs that filter your blood and make urine.
What it does
The kidneys sit high at the back of the abdomen on either side of the spine. Each contains about a million tiny filters that clean the blood, removing waste and extra water as urine. They also balance salts, control blood pressure and help keep bones strong.
Surprising fact
Your kidneys filter all of your blood many times a day, around 180 litres of fluid, yet almost all of it is reabsorbed, leaving only about a litre or two as urine.
Why it matters
You can live a healthy life with one kidney, which makes living kidney donation possible. High blood pressure and diabetes are the main causes of kidney damage.
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Open in the 3D atlas · Suggest a correction · Not medical advice.
3D models: Z-Anatomy & BodyParts3D (CC BY-SA 4.0 / 2.1 JP). Card text CC BY 4.0.