What is the basic function of the kidney?

What is the basic function of the kidney?

What is the basic function of the kidney? Kidney is an important excretory and endocrine organ of human body, and it is also the most important filtering organ of human body, which can filter out metabolites and carcinogens. I believe many people want to protect their kidneys. What is the basic function of the kidney?

What is the basic function of the kidney? 1. 1. Keep the internal environment stable:

1. Maintain the balance of water and osmotic pressure in the body: the kidney can filter out excess water in the body and excrete it in the form of urine to maintain the balance of water in the body and prevent edema and hypertension;

2. Adjust electrolyte balance: The kidney can also excrete and absorb electrolytes, such as potassium, sodium and chlorine, so that the electrolyte can be maintained in a normal range, which is conducive to the balance and needs of the body;

3. Adjust the acid-base balance: The kidney also plays an important role in the acid-base balance. The kidney can reabsorb bicarbonate, secrete hydrogen ions and acidic substances, and ensure the state of acid-base balance of the body.

Second, the detoxification function:

Kidney can excrete metabolic wastes, such as urea nitrogen, creatinine, uric acid and other substances produced by metabolism, to ensure the stability of the internal environment of the body.

Third, endocrine function:

The kidney can produce erythropoietin, which plays an important role in the production of red blood cells and can prevent anemia. α 1 hydroxylase exists in renal tubular epithelial cells, which can promote the production of vitamin D and maintain the metabolic balance of calcium and phosphorus.

Therefore, it is very important to protect renal function and avoid kidney damage. In daily life, we should give priority to high-quality protein diet and eat more lean meat and fish. Drink more water. It is best to keep the daily drinking water at 1000-2000ml to avoid the possible drug damage caused by nephrotoxic drugs. In addition, you can also go to the hospital for physical examination regularly to find and correct early renal function damage in time.

What are the basic functions of the kidney? Under normal circumstances, a healthy kidney can complete all the functions of both kidneys. Some people are born with only one kidney, while others choose to donate one. A kidney may also be seriously damaged by disease or trauma.

The basic function of the kidney is to maintain a proper balance between water and minerals (including electrolytes) in the body. Other functions include filtering and excreting metabolic wastes of food, drugs and harmful substances (toxins); Regulate blood pressure; Secrete some hormones. The kidney can also regulate blood pressure and secrete certain hormones.

Water and electrolyte balance

The human body needs regular intake of water to maintain life. The metabolic process of food will also produce a certain amount of water. If the intake of water does not match the discharge of water, the water balance will be broken, and people will get sick and even die. Too much water in the body will dilute the electrolyte, and too little water will concentrate the electrolyte. The electrolyte of human body must be maintained in a certain concentration range. The kidneys regulate and help maintain the proper balance of water and electrolytes.

Blood enters the glomerulus under high pressure. Most of the liquid components in the blood are filtered through the pores of the glomerulus, leaving blood cells and most macromolecular substances, such as protein. The clear filtrate flows through Bowman's capsule and enters the proximal convoluted tubule connected with Bowman's capsule cavity. In healthy adults, about 180 liters of fluid is filtered out to the renal tubules every day.

Most water and electrolytes are reabsorbed by the kidneys; Only 1.5% ~ 2% of the urine produced is excreted. Other nephrons have different permeability to water, allowing more or less water to return to the blood circulation. This process is more complicated.

In the first part of the renal tubule (proximal convoluted tubule), most of the filtered substances such as sodium, water and glucose are reabsorbed and re-enter the blood. In the second part of the renal tubule (Henry ring), sodium, potassium and chlorine are pumped out; The remaining liquid is diluted. So the remaining liquid will be diluted more and more. The diluted liquid passes through the third part of the renal tubule (distal convoluted tubule), where sodium is further pumped out, and in exchange, potassium and acid are pumped in.

Small tubular fluids from several nephrons enter the collecting tube. In the collection tube, the liquid can be continuously diluted, or the water can be reabsorbed into the blood, so that the urine can be concentrated. The reabsorption of water is regulated by vasopressin (produced by pituitary gland) and other hormones. These hormones help to regulate renal function and control urine composition, thus maintaining the balance of water and electrolytes in the body.

Filtration and excretion

When the body metabolizes food, it will produce some wastes that need to be removed from the body. Metabolic wastes in protein are mainly excreted in the form of urea nitrogen. Urea nitrogen can freely enter the renal tubular fluid through the glomerulus without being reabsorbed, so it can directly enter the urine.

Other substances that the body does not need, including acid, toxins, drugs and other metabolites, are actively secreted into urine by renal tubular cells (urine therefore has its own special smell).

blood pressure regulation

Another function of the kidney is to regulate human blood pressure by excreting excessive sodium. If too little sodium is excreted, blood pressure will rise. The kidney also regulates blood pressure by producing an enzyme called renin. When the blood pressure is lower than the normal level, the kidney will secrete renin into the blood, which will activate the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, thus raising the blood pressure. The kidney also produces urotensin, which causes vasoconstriction and helps to raise blood pressure. Patients with renal failure have reduced ability to regulate blood pressure and are prone to hypertension.

Secretory hormone

By secreting hormones, the kidney also regulates other important functions, such as the production of red blood cells and the growth and maintenance of bones.

The hormone produced by the kidney is called erythropoietin, which can stimulate the bone marrow to produce red blood cells. Subsequently, red blood cells produced by bone marrow are released into the blood.

The growth and maintenance of healthy bones is a complex process, which depends on multiple organ systems, including kidneys. The kidney helps to regulate the levels of minerals such as calcium and phosphorus, which are essential for the health of bones. The kidney regulates the levels of calcium and phosphorus by converting inactive vitamin D (produced by the skin and also found in various foods) into active vitamin D (calcitriol).

What is the basic function of the kidney? The kidney is like a "clean factory" that works 24 hours a day. It is the main excretory organ of human body, which discharges waste (urea nitrogen, creatinine, salts and other small molecules) and excess water (that is, urine).

The body has two kidneys, and the most basic functional unit is called nephron; Each kidney has about 654.38+0 million nephrons, which are composed of glomeruli and renal tubules.

The main functions of the kidney are:

1, excreting waste and excess water: the glomerulus is like a filter or sieve, about 1500- 1800 liters of blood passes through the kidney every day, and macromolecules such as cell components and plasma proteins in the blood are not filtered;

However, water, amino acids, glucose, vitamins, electrolytes and wastes in blood are filtered by glomerulus, resulting in about 180 liters of protourine. After the waste is removed, the original urine is reabsorbed by renal tubules again, and the urine finally discharged is only about 65438 0.5 liters per day, which is only 65438 0% of the original urine filtered by glomerulus. Tang Zheng, Department of Nephrology, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing University School of Medicine

2. Maintain the balance of water, electrolyte and acid-base: The kidney can regulate organic substances such as protein and glucose and inorganic salts such as sodium and potassium in the human body, so that they exist in the body according to a certain proportion and concentration, and play a role in maintaining normal life activities of the human body.

3, produce a variety of bioactive substances: the kidney can produce renin, erythropoietin, prostaglandin, active vitamin D and other substances. Among them, active substances such as renin and prostaglandin can regulate blood pressure and water and salt metabolism; Erythropoietin can stimulate bone marrow to produce red blood cells; Active vitamin D regulates calcium and phosphorus metabolism.

Once the kidneys can't work normally and can't excrete waste and excess water in the body, these wastes will accumulate in the body, which will seriously endanger health.