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The kidneys, renal pelvis and ureters belong to the upper urinary system.
The Kidneys
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1. Renal cortex 2. Renal artery
3. Renal vein 4. Urether
5. Renal medulla
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The function of the kidneys is to remove waste products from the blood and to regulate the body's acidity / alkali equilibrium, the blood pressure and fluid balance.
Each kidney contains one million nephrons that are found in the kidney tissue, their purpose is to filter blood. Every day, the kidneys filter about 180 litres of fluid. The fluid that isn't returned to the blood is removed as urine.
An average adult weighing 70kg will produce about 1.7 litres of urine per day.
Ureters
To prevent urine from flowing back up to the kidneys, the ureters empty into the bladder at a slope. In the transition from ureter to bladder there is a 'valve' that prevents the urine from being returned to the kidneys.
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