Functions:
One of the main functions of kidney is to filter or remove the waste product from blood and regulate the water fluid level. The main functions of kidney according to importance are- blood pressure control, salt and water balance, erythropoietin a hormone production, vitamin D metabolism. A person can live with a one healthy kidney as it can cope with all the necessary functions. The filtration of blood produces urine in kidney and then it is collected in ureters which take away urine produced by kidney to the bladder.
Diseases:
As the kidney is one of the vital organs and works constantly so there are number of disease conditions which affect kidneys. There are some developmental and most of the acquired disease conditions. Some developmental disease conditions are congenital hydronephrosis, congenital obstruction of urinary tract, duplex kidneys, horse shoe kidneys, polycystic kidneys etc. And the acquired disease conditions include diabetic nephropathy, glomerulonephritis, hydronephrosis, kidney stones which is very common now a days, kidney tumours, lupus nephritis, nephrotic syndrome, renal failure and many more which affect kidney and total urinary system.
Interesting Facts:
The kidneys filter over 400 gallons of blood each day. Each kidney contains one million individual filters.
