Anatomy and Physiology of the Urinary System Simplified

Along with the ureters, bladder and urethra, the kidneys form part of the wider urinary system, responsible primarily for the removal of waste products from blood and their elimination from the body in urine.
Found either side of the vertebral column in the peritoneal cavity, the adult kidney filters around 120ml of blood plasma per minute. The kidneys also carry out several other homeostatic roles, including:
External anatomy
An adult kidney typically measures 12cm long, 6cm wide and 3cm deep. Spatially, however, due to the size and positioning of the liver within the upper right quadrant of the abdominal cavity, the right kidney is typically 2mm shorter, 8g lighter and sits slightly lower than the left.
Each kidney is surrounded by three main layers. From outermost to innermost, the layers are as follows:
Renal fascia - a thin layer of connective tissue that attaches the kidney to surrounding tissue, including that of the abdominal wall, providing structural support;
Adipose capsule - perirenal fat that protects the kidney from trauma and helps maintain its positioning within the abdominal cavity;
Renal capsule - connective tissue that helps maintain the kidney’s structural integrity and shape, protecting its internal tissue
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