The circulation to and from the kidneys.

1. Renal pyramid 2. Efferent artery 3. Renal artery 4. Renal vein 5. Renal hilum 6. Renal pelvis 7. Ureter 8. Minor calyx 9. Renal capsule

10. Inferior renal capsule 11. Superior renal capsule 12. Afferent vein 13. Nephron 14. Minor calyx 15. Major calyx 16. Renal papilla 17. Renal column

The renal circulation receives around 20% of the cardiac output. It branches from the abdominal aorta and returns blood to the ascending vena cava. It is the blood supply to the kidney, and contains many specialized blood vessels.

[edit] Circulation

The table below shows the path that blood takes when it travels through the glomerulus, traveling "down" the arteries, and "up" the veins. However, this model is greatly simplified for clarity and symmetry. Some of the other paths and complications are described at the bottom of the table.

In the image of the kidney to the right: #2 & #12 are MISLABELED. INTERLOBAR ARTERY & VEIN are between 2 renal lobes, also known as the renal column (cortex region between two pyramids).

• Note 1: The renal artery also provides a branch to the inferior suprarenal artery to supply the adrenal gland.
• Note 2: Each renal artery partitions into an anterior and posterior branch. The anterior branch further divides into the superior (apical), anterosuperior, anteroinferior and inferior segmental arteries. The posterior branch continues as the posterior segmental artery.
• Note 3: The arcuate arterioles also supply blood to the vasa recta. The vasa recta supplies blood to the arcuate veins, thus bypassing the glomerulus.
• Note 4: The interlobular artery also supplies to the stellate veins.
• Note 5: The efferent arterioles don't directly drain into the interlobular vein, but rather they go to the peritubular capillaries first. The efferent arterioles also drain into the vasa recta.

[edit] External links

• Training at wisc-online.com

This cardiovascular system article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. v • d • e

This article related to the genitourinary system is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. v • d • e