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The kidneys are two, bean-shaped organs that are located
in the back part of the abdomen, on wither side of the spine and approximately
between the twelfth thoracic and third lumbar vertebrae. Often, the left
kidney is positioned up to an inch higher than the right kidney. Each kidney
is about 4-5 inches long and about two inches thick, weighing 4-6 ounces
in the average adult. Because of the presence of many blood vessels, the
kidneys are colored a dark reddish-brown.
Each kidney features a concave lateral side, where an opening, called the hilus, admits the renal artery, the renal vein, nerves, and the ureter. Within the kidney is the renal sinus, or cavity. Within the renal sinus are the functional group of the filtration called the nephrons, of which there are more than a million within each kidney. At the top of each kidney is an adrenal (also called suprarenal) gland. |