Medical Author: Siamak Nabili, MD, MPH
Medical Editor: William C. Shiel, Jr., MD, FACP, FACR
The kidneys have a variety of important functions in the body. These include filtering the waste products from the blood as it circulates through capillaries within the kidneys, regulating blood pressure, maintaining steady levels of electrolytes (for example, calcium, phosphorus, sodium, potassium, and chloride), and contributing to the production of red blood cells.
The kidneys are located on either side of the body underneath the diaphragm near the lower back. Each kidney is connected to the bladder in the pelvis by ureters (long tube-like structures) that drain the urine from the kidneys to the bladder. Urine stored in the bladder is excreted from the body through the urethra.
The main components of the urinary tract are kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra. Any part of the urinary system may become infected and this is generally referred to as urinary tract infection (UTI).
Picture of the Kidneys and Urinary Structures
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