Kidney Anatomy & Nephron Structure
Start with the big picture
The kidneys lie retroperitoneally, with the right positioned slightly lower than the left. At the medial hilum, vessels, nerves, lymphatics, and the ureter pass between the kidney and surrounding structures. Inside, the cortex and medulla are organized around renal pyramids that drain toward the calyces and renal pelvis. The nephron consists of a renal corpuscle and tubule: glomerular capillaries and the filtration barrier begin urine formation, while a sequence of tubule segments modifies the filtrate. Blood reaches the glomerulus through the renal arterial branches and afferent arteriole, then leaves by the efferent arteriole. Together, these anatomical pathways provide a framework for understanding kidney structure and function.
What you'll learn
- Locate the kidneys and identify the structures transmitted through the renal hilum.
- Describe the kidney’s coverings and the organization of its cortex and medulla.
- Trace the main arterial route to and from the glomerular capillaries.
- Outline the nephron’s filtration barrier and tubular sequence.
- Relate selected nephron segments to their roles in filtrate processing.
Continue your study
Work through the complete notes and reinforce the topic with the study tools available in the full lesson.
